Only Two
by Phalanx30
Summary: An AU of "Passion" Giles stared at Jenny in shock "You're really alive? You were dead when last I saw you."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion"

Only Two

Chapter 1: Discovery and Reaction

"_And teacher makes three."_

Rupert Giles was having a wonderful day. Well, as wonderful as one could have with the looming threat of three of the most infamous vampires in existence. Especially since one of those vampires had unrestricted access to both his apartment and his Slayer's house. They had been fortunate that Angelus had only used his whimsical side to threaten and torment. There was no telling when that would change. Giles had just been to Buffy's to get the book containing the invitation revocation spell, so he could do the same at his still vulnerable flat. The source of the book was the other reason the day had taken on a new light.

Jenny Calender was estranged from him, due to her deception about her true reason for being in town. She was just using the teaching position at the high school as a cover to keep tabs on the souled vampire Angel. She was to make sure he remained in a state of suffering and guilt, that the curse her people had put on him would stay. She had failed, Angel had lost his soul due to a moment of happiness, and the demon had terrorized the town, Buffy, and her friends ever since he surfaced.

It was only today that Giles and Ms. Calendar had talked and partly reconciled. She had even revealed her feelings for him. They had a relationship before the estrangement and he found her quite engaging. Her affinity with computers and familiarity with magic brought a new and helpful element to the group. So, a wonderful day then.

It was in this state that he approached the door to his apartment. He saw the rose stuck in the door and the door was unlocked. The next minute was a blur as he moved through his apartment taking in the music the that was playing, the candles that were lit, the rose petals strewn about, and the wine bottle and two glasses with the accompanying note. He grabbed the wine and the glasses and made his way upstairs.

The wonderful day he had had began to unravel when he saw what awaited him in his bed. His first thought was that Jenny looked lovely. That was before he took in the details. The motionless body, the glassy-eyed stare, and the unnatural tilt of the head. That was when the horror of the situation became clear in the single thought '_She's dead._'

He barely noticed that he had dropped the glasses and bottle "Jenny?" He hoped in vain for a response that couldn't come. "No...no...no" as if the word itself could restore that which was broken. He moved towards the bed searching for any other signs of how she had died. He saw no telltale neck wounds or blood. '_Thank god for small mercies_' He wanted so badly to hold her to him, he knew it would do nothing but to make sure that he was arrested for her murder.

Instead he moved back down the stairs, searching for something that would confirm his suspicions. With the elaborate setup and the staging of the body (He had to force himself hold back the grief for the moment.) he detected the sadistically whimsical and artistic hand of Angelus. Any further doubts he might have had were washed away by the sketch he found. It was an exact recreation of Jenny's lifeless face, in the same position he had just seen it. Giles was filled with wrath that burned white-hot for an instant before it settled to slow burning fury. '_Angelus will pay.'_ he kept thinking. After he saw to Jenny's body he would mount a one-man assault on the three vampires' lair in an abandoned factory on the edge of town. If all went well, there would be nothing left but dust. If it didn't, well then at least he would go out fighting, if that happened, maybe then his slayer would finally get serious about the threat posed by her former boyfriend.

He was about to call the police about Jenny and begin a plan that would lead to dust and blood, when a memory forced its way to the forefront of his thoughts.

* * *

><p>It began with an innocuous question "Rupert Giles, what is a Watcher who loses a Slayer during battle?" The man who had asked the question was Giles' Tactical Action teacher at the Watcher's Academy, they were in a small class. Professor Allen was an elderly gentleman, long past the age where he could be in the field, he had the distinction of only having one Slayer assigned to him for his entire term of service. The situation was made more unique by the length of time this Slayer stayed alive. Where most lasted a few years at best, his had survived for a decade and a half. He had some views about the Slayer that were contrary to the consensus view of the Council. He saw them as singular individuals that could be turned into the Council's greatest weapon against the forces of darkness. Most of the other members viewed the Slayers as little more than cannon fodder, to be called and flung into the fight as quickly as possible.<p>

Giles thought back to his answer which was delivered with a bit of unnecessary cheek and sarcasm "A Watcher who is some serious trouble, sir."

Allen had smiled at this "Quite right, but on a more basic level?"

The younger Giles took another stab "A dead Watcher then."

The professor responded, "Logically, most probably, good, however, in the end a Watcher without a Slayer is simply a human. If I have anything to do with it, a well-trained human, but a human nonetheless. Outclassed in every respect by the demons he or she will engage. The Slayer is different, when at full strength, she is the thing the darkness fears. However if injured or wounded, she becomes less than fully effective. That slayer is more likely to die. Does anyone remember what I said at the start of term about why my Slayer survived so long?"

He looked around the class as another student piped up "You said you valued her life above yours, sir."

Allen looked towards the younger student, with a smaller build than most of his classmates and glasses already adorning his youthful face. "Correct, most of your other teachers will tell you that Slayers come and go, it is the watcher that must survive. That is a bunch of rubbish. My colleagues are wrong, it is the Council that must survive, individual Watcher's are important only for research, aiding the Slayer directly, and increasing the overall knowledge of the council. This will quite possibly be my last term, in light of that I am going to tell you why my Slayer was so long-lived."

He sighed and sat at his desk, as if preparing for a difficult task. "I have taught you general strategy, battle tactics, weaponry, and Slayer capabilities. That is within the scope of my position here. What I am about to tell you is not. Some of you in this class will be assigned to Slayers, I'm sure of it. What few know about me, and what the Council at large will discourage in you, is that I was a magic user. In particular the spell I used rather often. It is a rather simple invocation, it takes from the Slayer and gives to the Watcher. How I used it was in the form of combat healing. I would take her wounds away, and in turn she would wreak beautiful devastation on those who had harmed her. It was only the last, mortal wound I was unable to mend. A word of caution about this, it will take away anything, including death-dealing injuries, but you as the Watcher will suffer the same. It is my only regret that I didn't have the courage to sacrifice my life for my Slayer at the last. It is my hope that one of you, a long time from now, finds the courage to do what I could not."

He removed a personal notebook from his desk. "This is my last personal diary, the incantation is on the first page. You are under no obligation to copy it down, I wish and hope you would, but I know how my peers see me, and if you do not want to be associated with my unique outlook on things, I understand." He was right, his more direct detractors had called him certifiable. Giles did indeed copy the spell. One of only a few to do so. The Watcher's Academy was efficient at turning out traditionalists, Watchers unlike Allen.

* * *

><p>The memory receded and Giles had a new plan. One that did not involve a probably suicidal attack on three old and quite powerful demons. He had never tried the spell before, but he figured in this situation he could not make things any worse, Jenny was already dead. Fury and grief had given him courage earlier. Now the same was given by a resolve and peace of one who see's his end and accepts it as necessary. Angelus did not kill at random, he always had a reason. Whatever Jenny had died for, Giles suspected it was important and threatening to the vampire, she might be able to finish what she had started, and his impending exit would galvanize Buffy into helping her. He wrote out a simple and short goodbye to his Slayer and her friends. He hoped they wouldn't hate him for leaving, but he wouldn't be surprised if that did happen.<p>

With a last sigh he ascended the stairs, going back to Jenny's body, unafraid to touch her now. He reflected that when she came back he would likely already be dead. With this in mind he wrote another note, telling Jenny to get somewhere safe, finish the special project she was working on, and finally how much she meant to him. With an admonishment to watch over the children he closed and folded up the note. He left it on the bed. That last bit of duty done. He looked at Jenny, memorizing every detail of her, that even in death captivated him. He cupped her face and kissed her cold brow before placing both hands on her broken neck. The incantation was quick and sharp "Mitte me, Autem!"

There were two muffled cracks, the first was the spell taking effect, as Giles' hands glowed with power. The second was the bone and spinal cord of Jenny's neck resetting. The power that Giles was essentially holding left his hands and acted like an electric shock to Jenny. Her body convulsed once. As her head rested back down, she gasped and her eyes blinked and widened. She screamed for a second.

Her reaction was understandable, the last thing she had seen was Angelus' smiling vampiric face, then there was darkness, and now her first thought was that he had simply knocked her out and meant to take his time in killing her. The room was dim and the face looking down at her was hard to distinguish in her disorientation. After her scream she realized '_Wait, Angel doesn't wear glasses' _what she said was "Rupert?"

To say Giles was surprised was an understatement, he was utterly shocked that he was still around to hear her voice, he thought that the price of the spell would be exacted immediately, that by the time Jenny returned he would already be dead and gone. He should have done further research on the spell, but he never seemed to find the time. And the professor wasn't specific about its effects. He put these thought aside to focus on the moment "Yes, it's me Jenny, thank god."

Jenny was relieved and worried, why would her normally stolid partner be invoking the divine over her. "What happened? Where are we? And why are your hands on my neck?"

Giles realized he hadn't moved since he invoked the spell, he sat down on the edge of the bed. With a shudder and while cleaning his glasses he answered "Sorry about that, we're at my apartment, I found you here."

She moved to sit beside him "What do you mean Rupert, the last thing I remember was Angel chasing and catching me at the school, he told me this was where I would get off, then I woke up here. Was I knocked out or what, did you bring me here?"

Giles smoothed some hair away from her face, "No, you were dead, and I revived you. I suspect Angelus wanted to provoke me into doing something incredibly stupid. He tried to get to Buffy's mother tonight but we stopped him from doing any physical damage."

Jenny blinked "I was dead, that's pretty hard to reverse. I didn't know you had that kind of power, are you going to be alright? Doesn't that kind of stuff need a sacrifice?"

Giles considered that for a moment "I didn't expect to be alive after the spell, so, honestly I don't know what's going to happen. I learned of it while was a student, I've just never thought to use it before now. In any case, I think we need to set that aside for now. I want to either make this place safe from Angel or go somewhere that already is, what do you want to do?"

Jenny glanced around "Well, I'm comfortable here, and you have to get rid of the invitation sometime, and with two of us it shouldn't take too long."

She got up and began to walk towards the stairs when Giles stopped her for a moment "Jenny wait, um, Angel left a rather elaborate and romantic prelude for me before I found your body. Know that what you see downstairs was not mine, nor were my intentions as such, but I do care a great deal about you."

Jenny moved back to the bed, kissed him without reservation and laughed "Rupert, you're still a fuddy-duddy, and, you were willing to risk your life for mine. I know how much you care, okay. You don't need to say anything more. Now come on, who knows what that vampire is up to, we better make sure he can't just walk in."

Giles shuddered at the prospect and got up to help with the revocation spell, he winced slightly at a small pain in his back, he thought it might be the transfer spell, but was soon caught up in having a good, if not wonderful process of securing his apartment against the aforementioned undead with a newly alive and ever lively Jenny Calendar. There was still much to do and the threat was still present, but things were looking up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion"

Only Two

Chapter 2

Giles awoke with the feeling of an inexplicable grief and shock. His sleep was haunted by dreams of a smirking and laughing Angelus, of fire, of his Slayer being utterly furious at both him and the vampire, and the cold, still, and dead eyes of the woman he cared about. Along with the feelings, he was aware that his body felt like he had been in a fight, it wasn't pain, just a dull ache in various places. He was also tired, as if he had not slept at all.

His dreams and feelings were unfounded as he turned and observed the woman sleeping next to him. She was on her side and under the covers of his bed. After they had revoked the invitation to his apartment, they had cleaned up the bit of theater Angelus had set for Giles. There were still rose petals in the apartment, but they were swept off of the stairs and were mostly out-of-the-way. Giles had shown Jenny the sketch that Angelus had made of her. Her reaction was swift and sure. She had snatched it from him, and took a lighter to it in the kitchen sink and burned it up. She didn't think much of how Angelus depicted her own death, and didn't want to be reminded of it.

Giles had been reluctant to return to his bed. He had been as good as his word, he told Jenny it was not his intention to have a romantic rendezvous last night. He offered to sleep on the couch. He also didn't want to sleep where Jenny's corpse had been so artfully placed. She had the same reservations, and had said as much, but she didn't want to sleep alone, the terror and relief of the previous night forcing a need for human contact, one that was caring as opposed to murderous. Giles didn't take that much convincing, he was loath to let her out of his sight, even though he knew they were both safe.

He moved over to her, she had changed out of her dress into some clothes of hers that Giles had kept from one of their earlier dates. He speculated that she would want to get rid of that particular dress, given that her death had occurred while she was wearing it, though her resurrection had also happened in it, so maybe he was wrong. He ran a hand along her forehead, brushing hair away from her eyes, he had this strong urge to see them open. To know that his dreams were just that, and that he had really brought her back. He was rewarded when her eyes fluttered open.

He was further elated when she mumbled "R-Rupert?" as she turned to look at him noticing the expression on his face, as if he was seeing something he had not before "What's going on, are you okay?"

Giles wiped the sleep from his eyes as he sat up "Yes and no, sorry Jenny, I had a terrible night, I didn't get much sleep, I kept having nightmares."

Jenny mirrored his movements "And you wanted to make sure they weren't real? It's alright, but your going to have to tell me about the spell you used. You don't just bring someone back from the dead without it coming back on you. I bet these dreams were a part of that."

Giles smiled, even after just waking up and rumpled, Jenny was still beautiful "I learned of it at the Watcher's Academy, and this was my first time using it. Its foundation is that it can transfer injury and pain. The man who taught it to me warned that it was dangerous. I thought it would kill me as it brought you back. I wrote a number of notes, I was remiss in not calling anyone, Buffy, for instance."

Jenny gasped in shock "Rupert, my 'injury' killed me, why would you even try something like that? You're a silly man sometimes, notes, really, was the phone too high-tech for you?"

Giles smiled and sighed "Jenny, last night you said I didn't need to say anything. It appears that I do need to say something. Jenny, when you told me that you had fallen in love with me, I wanted to tell you I felt the same." She smiled and kissed him in response, after he had gathered his wits he continued "When I saw you on my bed, with that lifeless stare, something within me broke, I intended to attack and kill or be killed by Angelus. Honestly, I expected the latter. It didn't occur to me that there was anyone who needed me, even Buffy, after you were gone."

Jenny looked at him with a new respect "If anybody knows how dangerous Angelus is, it's me, I was raised on his cruelty, and last night he played with me, oh I thought I could get away, but it was all useless. I can only imagine a fight between the two of you, I think you would do well, but I think you'd need help to actually win." He scoffed but nodded and Jenny went on "So, at some point you decided magic was a better option than a kamikaze run at a bunch of vampires?"

Giles nodded again "Yes, now I must go make some calls, I'll leave you to get ready, we have a rather long day ahead of us."

Jenny stood up and stretched "Alright, but you will tell me what were going to do?" At his nod she said "Then get going."

After he left she glanced around the room, she remembered a piece of paper on the bed before they went to sleep, she found it on the floor and unfolded it. As she read it, she was struck by the consideration he put into each thought. He even seemed to know she was attacked for a specific reason, and it was as if she could hear his voice when she read his plea that she look after Buffy and her friends, he wrote with a bittersweet sentiment, sad that he was leaving, but with a grim levity that he was restoring something that should never have been taken away. Jenny felt a wellspring of emotion well up within her, he had written a last goodbye, and he had written it to her '_Oh, Rupert...' _with that thought she got up, placed the note on the bedside table, and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead, she would make sure to keep the note, treasure it even. Her thoughts kept coming back to what he was willing to sacrifice, and she resolved to see that the note was never made necessary.

Below, in the kitchen, Giles was on the phone, in the middle of the first of a number of calls he had to make that day "Yes, Mr. Snyder, neither Ms. Calendar or I can come into work today. Please arrange substitutes for the both of us." He ignored the man's ranting about undependable teachers, but his attention was brought back into focus when Snyder mentioned the destruction in the computer lab.

The Principal made the connection "Is that why you two aren't coming in, was there a gang attack?"

Giles agreed "Yes, indeed there was, Ms. Calendar was injured, and I tended to her." Giles was aware of the rationalizations of the citizens of Sunnydale had for vampire and demon attacks. He would use it in this case. What he didn't know, was that Principal Snyder was well aware of the supernatural, and he figured the computer teacher was attacked by something of that sort, given the destruction. Both men knew the truth, though neither knew that the other did, and each of them thought they were fooling the other.

Snyder gave his assent "In that case, I'll cancel her classes for the day, while I have the room cleared. Will you two be in tomorrow Mr. Giles?"

Giles said "Yes, certainly, goodbye Mr. Snyder." He hung up the phone and thought about what Jenny had went through last night. Was she killed in the lab itself or was she able to run? It didn't help, obviously, if she had run he imagined the fear she must have experienced '_Jenny..._' he wiped at his eyes, he hadn't yet put his glasses on. His own thoughts on the woman upstairs prompted the next call.

He dialed an international number, when his call was answer he said quickly "Put me through to Quentin Travers, immediately, if you please."

Travers voice came over the line "This is Travers, with whom am I speaking?"

Giles sighed, he was not looking forward to this, but he had to do it, and then he spoke clearly "Mr. Travers, This is Rupert Giles in Sunnydale, the Hellmouth, and we have a situation here. I am requesting an official transfer of council resources to this town with all dispatch."

Travers snorted "Mr. Giles, your Slayer is still alive, what situation could justify the allocation of more personnel to the area."

Giles was ready for this question, "Quentin, three out of four members of the Whirlwind family of vampires are in this town and active, including the Scourge of Europe himself."

Travers was taken aback "Good god, man, how long have they been active?"

Giles smiled, he knew Travers couldn't ignore a threat of that magnitude "Angelus didn't arrive in town until a few weeks ago, Spike and Drusilla were already present when he appeared."

Travers was ashen-faced "And you're only calling now, are you daft, why did you wait?

Giles responded "I was under the impression that my Slayer and I could handle the situation, but we have both been compromised. My Slayer had a friend that was taken by Angelus, and as you know I work at a school, and Angelus murdered one of my colleagues and tried to frame me for the crime. We can no longer approach the situation with any objectivity. We are unable to contain, let alone end, the threat."

Travers slumped in his chair "Mr. Giles, what do you need?"

Giles returned "Mr. Travers, I need the Slayer Kendra and her Watcher sent to this town as soon as possible? Also, I need a researcher, someone who could assume the duties of a field Watcher should the need arise."

Travers began issuing orders to his subordinates before responding to Giles "Rupert, an additional Slayer does seem appropriate, however, Mr. Zabuto is more valuable in his current post. We will assign a potential slayer to him. He is a superb trainer after all. Why do you need a researcher?"

Giles knew this wouldn't go over well "You know of Professor Allen, correct?"

Travers scoffed "The crackpot, yes I do know and detest his opinion of the relationship between Watcher and Slayer, why?"

Giles said "I used one of his methods, That's why I asked for a possible replacement, I am unsure about the outcome of the spell."

Travers was seething internally, but remained calm "Right than, is there anything else you need, I could have a Direct Operations team there rather quickly. They would aid you greatly, I should think."

Giles was surprised, he hadn't expected this level of coöperation, he and the head of the council had never been the most amicable of colleagues. "Not at this time, no. I would like to put in place a Trip-wire protocol, if I should succumb to my actions, I want a mobilization of the Council's operatives, I want the vampire activity in this town to be dealt with, utterly and completely. There is a woman, her name is Jenny Calendar, she knows who I am, I am going to give her your number, if she calls you, that will mean I can't. I want that to be the trigger."

Travers considered that request for but a moment "Mr. Giles, your protocol is approved, tell this Calendar woman that the password is 'Trafalgar.' She is to use that to tell me of your demise. I will then start the mobilization, I give you my word Mr. Giles, we will do what you wish, we will exhaust every resource to make sure that the Hellmouth is rendered safe, on that note the researcher and the other Slayer will arrive within 48 hours. Mr. Giles, I wish you the best of luck."

Giles would have cheered if he were somebody else, as it was he said "I appreciate it sir, I hope the protocol is not needed, but just in case and all that." With that he hung up. He looked up to see Jenny leaning against the wall just outside the kitchen, watching him, she had changed back into her dress from yesterday, the look on her now clean face suggested she was aware of her role in his business with the council. "Jenny, should something happen to me, I want you to call this number." He handed her a scrap of paper with the number. "And say Trafalgar to the man on the phone."

Jenny almost laughed "Really England, is that a code word?" At his nod she continued "Rupert, I read the note you left for me upstairs, how did you know I was working on something special?"

Giles moved into the living room and sat down on the couch, Jenny followed him sat on the other end "Angelus killed you Jenny, why?"

Jenny said softly "I was working on the restoration ritual for Angel's soul, I had it translated and everything, and he destroyed the computer and burned the printouts, I guess he thought killing me would make sure his soul never came back. What I want to know is how he learned what I was doing in the first place."

Giles moved closer to her "One of Angelus' companions, Drusilla, is somewhat of a seer. Once you started to act to give Angelus his soul back, she was most probably aware of your intentions, I am so sorry Jenny." he sighed this last as he imagined again what last night was like for her.

Noticing the change, Jenny stroked his cheek "What for, Rupert?"

Giles caught her hand and kissed it "I should have stayed with you last night, maybe if I was there..."

Jenny moved and hugged him and held him "Rupert, had you stayed, Angel would have killed us both. Think about what you went through when you saw my body, now imagine what Angel would have shown Buffy with both of us. But you didn't stay, and now we're here, and that means I have good news about Angel's soul."

Giles came out of his self-flagellation and the horrific images Jenny had caused to appear, and he asked "Good news, how do you mean?"

Jenny let him go "Angel didn't destroy everything, I saved the program and the curse to a disk, now as I was running for my life last night, I left it on my desk. All that we need to do is have access to a computer, get an Orb of Thesulah, and go get the disk, and we'll have everything we need to give Angel his soul back."

Giles questioned "An Orb of Thesulah?"

Jenny answered "Yeah, Angel destroyed the one I bought."

Giles snickered "You know, I bought one last year, I wanted to decorate my office and thought it would make an appropriate paperweight."

Jenny smiled in turn "Rupert, what are we waiting for, let's go already and get this done."

Giles expression shifted suddenly to one of concern "Jenny, as far as Angelus knows, he killed you, I want him to keep thinking that as long as long as possible, I want you to stay here and have others act on your behalf, If he finds out you're alive, I dread to think on what he will do, and I can't...I couldn't..." his unspoken thought was '_stand to lose you again._'

Jenny looked at the man beside her, she saw the same earnestness in his face as she had in the note she had read earlier, she knew, somewhat at least, what he was thinking, she moved to kiss him, to give him the reassurance he obviously needed. Their lips had barely brushed against each other when their was a loud knocking at the door. In fact the knocking was so forceful that it was shaking the door and its frame. Giles moved to the door and opened it.

He saw two familiar figures "Ah, Buffy, Xander, what brings you here?"

They pushed their way past him, ignoring his muttered and sarcastic "Please, do come in" and they saw Ms. Calendar on the couch. They turned and took in Giles' still disheveled appearance.

Buffy spoke first "Um... Giles, 'hello', we were worried, you're never not at work, we're always like 'let's go to the library' and talk slayage, and you're a big part of that. Besides, with Angel running around acting all psycho, we thought maybe something had happened. And then Xander mentioned that you calling in sick was an apocalyps-y sign, it's not one right, I mean I know it's the hellmouth but sheesh, you'd think we'd catch a break."

Giles felt a headache coming on, he was not quite ready for the onslaught of Buffy prattle "Buffy, something did happen, we are all fine, however, and it's just that Ms. Calendar and I had an important discussion, and I couldn't make it in today."

Xander looked at both Giles and Ms. Calendar, misplaced comprehension dawning on him "Hey, G-man no need to explain, in fact we'll get out of here, believe me I know how those discussions can go, me and Cordy haven't got to any 'important' ones as you might say." He looked suggestively at both the librarian and the teacher, but didn't see expected blushing he was hoping for.

Buffy fairly squealed and slapped Xander on the arm, at which he recoiled like he'd been hit with a punch from a trained boxer or a hammer "Eww, Xander, don't be a perv, besides the frightening mental pictures you've given me about you and Cordelia, Giles would never do that."

Giles grimaced at his newly acquired eunuch status "Buffy, while I appreciate your expression of disgust at the amorous actions of your friends, what gives you the impression that Ms. Calendar and I wouldn't do those sorts of things?" He blushed and glanced at his companion who returned with a racy smile of her own, it only served to cause him more distress, especially in front of his Slayer '_I'm supposed to keep up a sense of authority and decorum, blast you Xander, and you too Jenny._'

Buffy looked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language, "Giles...it's just...and no offense Ms. Calendar...but it's gross, I mean psycho killer vampires I can handle, but that, just no, Xander, your right, we should leave." They turned to go but Giles stopped them.

With his last shred of dignity he said "Buffy, we need you get some things from school, the first is a glass ball in my office, it's fairly distinctive, so you should find it easily, for the second ask Willow, she'll know what it is, it's a yellow, what is it Jenny?"

Jenny quietly chuckled "Floppy disk, Buffy, a yellow Floppy disk, and ask Willow if we can go over to her house tonight, I think she has a computer there, and we'll need that. Angel can't get in there right?"

Buffy looked at Ms. Calendar, wondering what was going on "Sure thing Ms. Calendar, and yes we did the mojo at Willow's first. Now Giles, you better fill me in later, I still remember the last time you tried to keep a secret from me. The whole Master will kill me thing. I don't want to be blindsided like that again."

Giles smiled warmly at his charge "Buffy, absolutely, I hereby swear I will tell you what happened last night, as well as the plan we have for tonight. I don't relish getting knocked out again, as happened when you decided to face the Master."

Buffy returned with "Thanks, Giles, I'll bring everybody over after school, so you can spill." With that she grabbed Xander with a muttered "C'mon, we have to go back, I know it's much cooler here, but we have a job to do, and that means you too." And left the apartment.

Jenny was left alone with a suddenly nervous and flustered Giles, who she found most endearing "Rupert, come over here." After he had moved back to the couch "Teenagers huh, are they as strange to me as computers are to you?"

Giles let some his nervousness go "They are indeed perplexing, as are those dreadful machines" at her briefly indignant look he backtracked "which in no way implies that you..."

She interrupted him with a laugh "Your impossibly old-fashioned sometimes, and irritating, but, you are polite to a fault and a real gentleman Rupert. Last night was almost the perfect opportunity to have one of those 'important' discussions, yet you didn't think of that, you let me decide and for that, thank you."

Giles was almost glowing from the compliments and he was as befuddled as ever but did manage a "Your Welcome, Jenny." amid much sputtering

Jenny had seen this side of him before, he was so cute, so she decided to really make him squirm "And Rupert, there is one thing Buffy was totally wrong about, it's not gross, and she just can't handle it." She moved to show him what she meant, actions spoke louder than words after all, but she wouldn't pressure him into anything, if he wanted to take things slow, and show her respect, than that was just fine. Though the current situation was rather nice anyway, who knew a make-out session could be so intense.

–-

Across town in an abandoned factory that was the home to what passed for celebrities in the underworld. All based on their ability to inflict pain and cause destruction, wanton and otherwise. One of them, a rather lovely young woman with black hair and a pale face, was sitting and staring at some of her most prized possessions. I collection of dolls stared back, if they had been human they would have, or at least should have been utterly terrified, for this was Drusilla, a creature who had been so masterfully crafted, she was as dangerous as any demon and much more so than the majority of vampires. But this day she was worried. "Miss Edith saw Daddy turn out the lights on the bad teacher, the one became a zero, he left her as nice gift for the eyes of the slayer-beast. The patron of the sick took on the sickness and the zero became two, Miss Edith is quite confused."

Another vampire, in a wheelchair with blond hair glossed close with a sheen of oil, rolled up "What's that, duck's"

Drusilla moaned in consternation "My Spike, The bad teacher and the shadow man are together again."

Another vampire interrupted, this one with a delighted smirk always on his handsome face, "Well Dru, that's good news, so ol' Rupes liked my little gift too much huh, wow, you try to help a guy out, I left her in the bed and everything, he at least could've come to thank me, but this works too, though I will miss killing that tweed suited lecturer. I bet Buffy will just love to learn my gift caused a buy one, get one free thing to happen. How'd he die Dru?"

Drusilla wailed "Silly Angel, the witness and the teacher of light and numbers are reunited, not dead, though he has love that hurts, and burns, and pulls him away."

Angelus snarled "Quit it, Dru, I almost took the teacher's head off, unless she's like that girl in the Exorcist, she is dead and watcher-boy followed suit, so get your head on straight." He turned to Spike "Well I'm off to get a meal, don't wait up you two." He continued more gently and sarcastically "And Spike I'll bring something back for you, meals on wheels and all that crap, this country, 'we must help cripples', well, I guess you qualify Spike my boy, maybe you outta call the government. I bet they'd love to help you, undead-American and all, and hey what do you know you're a minority, they'd be falling all over themselves to help you. Social workers, so trusting, an easy meal, even for you.

Spike snarled and was about to spring out of the chair to attack the older vampire, his current weakness be damned, when Drusilla stopped him "Now Spike, Daddy means well, he likes to see that fire in you, so do I, you must rest now my darling boy." Angelus chuckled and left to go find food. Drusilla fixed Spike with a determined yet far away stare. She was looking at him and yet not "My Angel doesn't see, the slayer-beast seeks to ruin our happy family, and her guide and the wife of the king, the keeper of time will help the slayer at the house of the tree that bends but never breaks. They'll bring back that nasty soul, and Angel will be whipped again, Spike you must get him to see."

Spike smiled at her "I will luv, don't concern yourself, soon everything will be right again." while thinking '_My grandsire's going to get a big surprise, I do hope he likes it._'


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion"

Only Two

Chapter 3

The rest of the short time before the children were let out of school, was spent relatively uneventfully. After Giles and Ms. Calendar concluded their physical but chaste affections, Giles got himself cleaned up. He looked askance at the bed as he passed by, the image of Jenny's posed dead body would be fixed in his memory for a while yet.

They mostly made small talk, filling up the time until school let out. Jenny had told Giles how foolish it was for her to work late into the night in a public building. For the importance of the spell she was working on, she realized she should have gone home, where whimsically murderous vampires were unwelcome.

This gave Giles the idea to call the school and speak to Willow. He asked her if they could all meet at her house. She readily agreed, she was excited that her home was safe again, and that there would be a slayerette meeting, they never met at her house. She was bubbling with ideas of snacks and beverages and what occult books they would need from the library. Giles had assured her, there was no research to be done, just a simple chat and a simple spell. At the mention of the spell Willow become frantically excited and babbled about getting the orb, what Cordelia had derisively called "a giant marble" and the disk.

Giles reasoned that there should be as little movement as possible. Instead of his original plan to have everyone come over to his apartment for an explanation of what happened the previous night, that would happen at Willow's with the restoration ritual following afterwards.

If everything went to plan, by the night's end, the gang of three infamous vampire would be reduced to two. The key was to make sure that Jenny remained dead in the perception of those vampires. Giles had put Jenny in the backseat of his car. He asked her to keep out of sight on the drive over to Willow's, It wouldn't do to have someone tell Angelus she was alive. He hoped and prayed that it worked.

That vampire was having a rather strange day. Drusilla's incessant whining about the dead teacher and Watcher had driven Angelus to stay away from her. He figured that since he wasn't invited anywhere he wanted to go, he would have to kill someone before they got inside the safety of their house. There were so many options, Buffy's remaining friend's would be fun to kill, although Spike's earlier warning about a "brassed off slayer" might actually come to pass. He needed to kill someone who was close to Buffy, but the loss would crush her so much that she would be unable to retaliate. Angelus hit upon the perfect target, her mother, he would bide his time, wait until she got home from her job. Buffy would still be reeling from the loss of her watcher, and then to watch her dear mommy die by his hand right in front of her. It's those moments of anguish that would make him happy for years to come.

Spike was glad his grandsire was staying away, he much preferred the soul-having Angel, at least that version wasn't taking Drusilla to bed every chance he got. And rubbing Spike's face in it in the process, sometimes literally, as Angelus took a pride in showing Spike just who was in charge. And what was worse, Drusilla enjoyed the attention she was getting, never seeming to give her former lover a second thought. He knew Dru was right with her cryptic messages, he really did hope the slayer and her pals were successful in bringing the soul back, It turned Angelus into a poncy, broody, 'oh woe is me' whelp of a demon, but at least Spike wouldn't have to deal with the sadistic and obsessed version anymore. He would keep Angelus in the dark as long as he could. Oh, he would tell Angelus and see that he went to the right place, but only after it was too late. He would have Dru again, and once he was free of this bloody wheeled contraption, they could have that coming out party he promised her when they first came to this blasted town.

* * *

><p>The core group of the Scoobies were in Willow's living room. Their significant others were also present. Along with Giles and Ms. Calendar, who were standing in the middle of the room, there was Buffy, who was sitting alone in a chair to their right. On the couch to the couple's front were crammed from left to right Willow who was next to Oz, keeping her and Cordelia separate, who took up the rest of the couch with Xander sitting on its arm. Introduction's and niceties were out-of-the-way. Giles and Jenny were preparing to tell the rest of the group what had occurred the previous night.<p>

"Buffy, you and Xander are familiar with mine and Jenny's whereabouts this morning. Her presence in my apartment is due to a single fact. Jenny died last night." Giles glanced around the room, taking in the reactions to this last revelation.

Cordelia leaned forward, gesturing to the woman in question "She doesn't look dead."

"Yeah, you're right Cor, what's going on Giles, she's not a zombie or something, is she?" Xander agreed with his girlfriend.

Giles ignored the look Willow was giving to the couple, her animosity towards the other girl clear "Indeed not you two, she is now alive, that does not change what I said, she died."

"No Rupert, I was killed, Buffy, I'm sorry, but Angel hunted me down at the school." Jenny rubbed her neck absently.

Buffy was quick to ask "If that's true, why are you still alive?" She was happy to see Giles not alone anymore, her own single status very clear in the room. She still resented the teacher for her hidden identity and betrayal though.

"It was Rupert, he brought me back." Jenny gave the man a quick kiss, eliciting sounds of disgust from Buffy and Xander.

Cordelia rolled her eyes "Oh come on, you two, it's what couple's do, take note Xander, what was it, Ms. Calendar some clichéd romantic mojo?"

"It is kinda cute and sweet though. If that's what happened. It was magic wasn't it?" Willow looked sharply at the other girl. It was a given, If Cordelia was for something, then Willow was against it.

Giles glanced from one girl to the other, still mystified by the politics of Sunnydale High teenagers, Willow was easier to understand however, as Cordelia had been a merciless detractor of anything Willow for a while before Buffy's arrival in town "Very good, yes it was magic, though it was not of the romantic variety." Giles told them how he found Jenny's body. How everything was set up for a shock effect to force an emotional whiplash from Giles.

Buffy remained stoic and silent, she knew Angel had changed, but his true nature hadn't been shown, now it had. Xander stood up, looking ready to launch into a vindicated rant about Angel, Oz was comforting Willow as she dealt with her own emotions, she latched to a question to steady her nerves "Ms. Calendar, you know about that stuff right? Bringing you back from the dead, that's a big deal, I thought it was dangerous?"

"It's real risky, Rupert told me it was a simple trade-off spell, whatever he got from me, he would take on himself." Jenny had moved from Giles side to kneel in front of her red-headed student."

Oz interjected "But you died?"

"Yes, She did, and I thought, given the nature of the spell, that the trade would happen right away." Giles would have said more but he was suddenly confronted by an angry slayer.

Buffy was completely incensed, she so badly wanted to punch Giles, but she knew she would probably knock him out again "You didn't think to call! Giles, I can't do this alone." She moved the hug her watcher, her own feelings swirling.

"I know you can't, that's the reason Jenny and I wanted you all here, Angelus killed her for a reason, she was going to return his soul." Giles was released from the nearly bone-crushing hug of his charge. She looked at him with hope and wonder.

Buffy looked at Ms. Calendar with equal hope "Can you do it?"

"I can, tonight." Jenny's response was met by something akin to a cheer from the teenagers, except for Xander who looked about to object, but he was warned off by Willow shaking her head '_Not now, Xander._'

* * *

><p>Angelus was hiding in the shadows surrounding Buffy's house. He had come here as soon as the sun had set. The house was eerily quiet, that was to be expected, he didn't think Buffy would up for much with what had happened last night. He figured her friends were there, keeping her company in her and their own grief. Such a sweet sensation, grief, not nearly so good as fear, but it would tide him over for now.<p>

Joyce Summer's car pulled into the driveway and Angelus' thoughts were of the '_It's show time._' variety. She had left the car and had almost reached when the vampire moved up behind her "Hey Joyce, is Buffy around, I really need to talk to her."

"Oh, it's you again, just stay away from my daughter, your feelings are unhealthy, I swear I'll bury you if you don't go away." Joyce was startled by the boy's sudden appearance.

Angel smirked at her choice of words, moving towards her as she went to unlock the front door "But Joyce, she's everything to me."

Joyce turned back around, noting how close he had gotten to her "I'm warning you, Angel, stay away, you'll regret it." She turned back around and was about to open the door when she was grabbed from behind, she struggled and shouted "Let go of me!"

"Um, No, and your wrong, I have no regrets, where's Buffy?" Angel almost snarled, he was excited by the fight she was putting up, she had no chance of getting away, he could see why Buffy was so spunky.

Joyce was becoming scared, he was stronger than she was and seemed intent on her daughter "I don't know! She called and told me she was going to spend the night at Willow's, what are you doing..." Her voice was muffled by a hand clamped over her mouth.

"Oh, Mrs. Summers, that's too bad, I wanted her to see this, your daughter is not what she seems, and neither am I." Angel's face had changed to that of a vampire, Joyce turned her head and saw, her eyes widening in fear. She made a sudden lunge for the door, getting it open before Angel grabbed her again. The door opened to an empty house "Well, I guess she won't see my latest gift until later, she always appreciated the other ones I gave her, Joyce, see ya later." With that he bared his fangs and bit into her, hard, he could feel her body being drained '_Ah, fear and blood, so very fulfilling._'

While he was in the midst of killing Joyce, Drusilla pushed Spike up to the house, the latter vampire was concerned, killing the slayer's mother would a very bad idea "Angelus!" At Spike's surprising outburst Angel dropped the now limp body, Joyce landed partly in the house.

"Spike my boy, it's good to see you out on the town, is Dru taking care of you? She's good at that. What's with the screaming, is it my fault people in this neighborhood work so late?" Angel gestured to the body as if he was making a presentation.

Spike was fuming "Are you completely off your nut! I'm out here to tell you that your gag gift backfired, the slayer and her little friend's are elsewhere, if you could think for a second, you'd know that. And Dru tell's me they're all set to shove your soul back in, if you won't listen to me, listen to her, you have to get over there if you want to stay footloose and fancy free."

Angel felt a current of fear rush through him '_Dru was right, __no, no, NO!._' without a word he tore off down the street, heading for Willow's. If it came to it he could always burn the house down, and pick off anyone who escaped the flames.

Spike looked up at Drusilla "You know, I was thinking he would get all long-winded, Dru, luv, what should we do about her?" He gestured to the body in the doorway.

"Thank you Spike, you made daddy see, though you waited too long, bad Spike, my Angel races, but he won't win. We could use her mum, in a bargain, or we could play, I could make a sister for you, would you like that?" Drusilla was looking back with an expression that favored the latter option.

Spike turned his attention to the body, he would have to decide soon, but for now, he would revel in the idea that Angelus would soon be gone.

* * *

><p>Spike was on the right track, as, at Willow's the necessary ingredients for restoring Angel's soul were laid out in the living room. They all in their proper place. Jenny was in place to cast the spell while Giles stood looking out the window, if Angelus appeared in the front of the house, Giles would be ready, though his body was protesting with pain and lack of sleep. Buffy was watching the back, while Cordelia, Xander, Willow and Oz, were watching Jenny.<p>

Jenny began the incantation, and Giles glanced at her, feeling and seeing the power of the spell. He marveled at her, this was why she had died. That she was alive due to his grief laden and well-nigh stupid actions left him for the moment, he could only bask in the completion of her work.

The spell was reaching a crescendo, Jenny's voice was ever more forceful, each word laced with intent and vengeance. Angel had killed her and left her for Giles, she wanted him to feel what he had done. '_Even though Rupert set things right, Angel should suffer, I might not be dead, but there is every chance that Rupert has just taken my place._'

Giles turned his attention back to the window, he spied the swift movements of a vampire fading in and out between street light's, he knew who it was. The watcher was concerned for a moment until he heard Jenny complete the curse, her voice ringing out with the last word "Acum!" Giles watched as Angelus stopped and stared at him, their expressions reflecting their feelings, one of pure, murderous hatred and the other of satisfied triumph. Giles smiled as Angelus collapsed, the soul forcing its way back into his body.

Jenny came out of the trance of the spell, and looked around, she first ran her gaze over her student's clustered nearby, the all had expressions of wonder, especially Willow, she could see the fiery intelligence the girl possessed turned to the possibilities of magic. Then as if they had rehearsed it, they all gasped. Jenny whipped her head around to look where Giles was standing, and a strangled cry came forth "Rupert!"

He was no longer standing, his body was on the ground and he was flailing in uncontrollable spasms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion"

**Author's Note: **Suggestions for future plot developments and character focus are wanted and appreciated.

Only Two

Chapter 4

Jenny quickly crawled over to Giles. She took his head into her lap. So it wouldn't keep banging against the carpet. His body was still jerking about in spasms. His skin was pale and clammy. His mouth had slammed shut when he collapsed, and he had a little blood on his lips.

The spasms partially stopped. There was the odd jerk of an arm or leg every couple of seconds. More worrying, was that Giles was still unconscious. His breathing was normal, for now. Jenny moved from his head to his side and began to try and make him more comfortable. Wiping the blood off of his face as she moved.

She looked over her shoulder "Willow, go call 911, Oz go get Buffy." at their looks and lack of movement she prodded "Quickly, as in now you two." At that the two teens got up and went to the phone in the kitchen at the back of the back of the house.

Jenny was trying figure out if Giles was stable when there was a knock at the front door. Xander got up to look through the peep-hole. He sprang back from the door and looked at Ms. Calendar "It's Dead boy, um, he can't get in here right?"

Jenny was about to respond when Buffy entered the room from the back of the house, where she was on watch. Buffy looked at Xander and ordered "Open the door, we did the un-invite here already. The spell worked right? Ms. Calendar?"

Jenny nodded, part with the certainty of the power she felt coursing through her earlier, and partly with the hope that Angel's soul was brought back. A tortured soul unnaturally housed in the body of an infamous vampire was preferable to the terror she had experienced at the hands of the unfettered demon.

Xander slowly opened the door, ready to close it at the slightest hint that it was Angelus on the other side. Xander still remembered when Willow had nearly been killed in front of him, or when Angelus had grabbed him during the fiasco with the love spell.

He remembered how terrified he was, which was amplified when Drusilla had saved and then hit on him and thought to show her affection for him, this affection included killing and making him a vampire.

Buffy and Jenny looked at Angel, searching for a sign, one in hope, the other with wary nervousness. Angel surveyed the room, taking in Buffy first, hardly noticing Cordelia still sitting on the couch, noticing Xander peeking from behind the door. Finally he swept his gaze left to the rest of the room, his eyes widening when he saw the two people on the floor.

The woman he had killed, he saw her body crumple at his feet, he felt the bones in her neck crack, and he had heard when she had taken her last breath. Yet here she was, very much alive and trying to tend to the prone and jerky form of Giles. Angel expressed his confusion with a gesture and one word "How?"

"It's a story, not mine to tell, Angel?" Buffy was almost pleading with her question.

Angel turned his attention away from the impossible and to the slayer he loved "Buffy, what I, or he said to you, the day after, I'm sor-"

"Angel, it's you. he wouldn't apologise, I know you, those things, about us, It wasn't you. What's with the knocking?" Buffy felt the weight, that had descended since Angelus had surfaced and Angel was lost to her, lift from her heart and spirit.

Angel then remembered why he had completed Angelus' futile journey to the house. "Buffy, I think I killed your mom, I can't be sure, Spike and Drusilla showed up. I don't know what happened after I left, Angelus feared getting the soul back, he was coming here to try to stop it."

Angel turned to Ms. Calendar "That's why he went after you." Angel didn't dare apologize, how would he go about saying 'I'm sorry' to someone he had terrorized, chased, and killed like they were in some cheesy slasher flick.

"Yeah, we should really talk about that sometime." Jenny had a hard edge to her voice, she was in no mood to forgive at the moment. She looked up at the vampire still silhouetted in the doorway. "Why did you come here? If you were so concerned, why didn't you go back to her house right away?"

Angel blinked, the computer teacher was not the same woman he had saved from Eyghon, nor was she the person who was terrified and wide-eyed in his grasp, right before he killed her, he reflected that she must have had some small spark of hope that he would spare her, he had seen it in her eyes right before the twist.

Now she was determined and decisive. He decided to match her determination "I came to get Buffy, we'll be safer together if we run into Spike and Dru."

"That's fine, Xander, Cordelia, go with them." Jenny's reply set off a storm of protests from Xander and Cordelia.

Buffy made the entirely reasonable objection. "Ms. Calendar, we'll move faster without them, and I don't want to worry about Xander."

Jenny turned towards Buffy sharply, she had kept her watch locked on the vampire. "Cordelia can drive you, and Buffy, Rupert trusted your judgment, that trust almost got your friends killed, it did get me killed, so forgive me if I don't share his faith in you, especially when it comes to Angel, I know how you feel about each other, I will not take the chance of leaving you two alone. So, I am sending an escort along with you. And from here on, no one goes out alone, think of it like a buddy system." Jenny vividly remembered the last time she was truly alone.

Buffy and Cordelia were about to protest again when Angel cut-in "She's right, we acted rashly and I love you Buffy, I should have tried to have more control. I've seen enough to know better." he turned to Jenny and said "Thank you, -"

Angel was about to say more when Willow and Oz re-entered the room and Willow informed them "Ms. Calendar, the ambulance is on its way, and..." she saw Angel "does everybody else see Angel?"

At the affirmative nods around the room she continued "oh good, I thought this was a nightmare, not that I have those, but you know, well, it's been kinda stressful around here, and look my hand is shaking cause I am so scared, and why am I still talking, somebody stop me." Oz did just that by clamping a hand over her mouth.

He smiled at her muffled "Thank you." and turned to the rest. "I think what she was trying to say was 'is that Angel or Angelus?' so who is it?"

Buffy answered and Willow noticed a lightness to her voice, a tone she hadn't heard since the Judge had been brought to town. As if things were finally returning to what passed for normal "Yeah, it's Angel, I'm still having a hard time with it, it feels like something should've happened to mess this up."

Oz had moved his hand, and Willow asked "So, what happens now?"

"Angel, Buffy, Xander, and Cordelia are going to go over to her house, Angel told us he attacked Buffy's mom, we and that includes you Willow are going to go to the hospital with Rupert." Jenny turned to Buffy "That's where we'll be, once you find something, let us know, be careful."

Buffy answered her "We will, so come on everybody, let's get going already." Buffy's tone masked the worry that she felt, she would have to ask Angel what he did. Angelus was smart and cruel, and he only made a move when he was almost certain of success.

With that the vampire, the slayer, and their chaperones left. Jenny let out a sigh, as much as she trusted the spell, she was glad Angel was gone, now she turned back to Giles, he still hadn't woken up. His skin had regained some of its color. Jenny worried with a dash of anger '_Dammit, England, what am I supposed to do, I'm not going to just sit here and watch you die._' Her thoughts whirled around this subject until the ambulance showed up.

! #$%^&*()

They were in the hospital waiting room, it had been a couple of hours since the paramedics had taken Giles back for testing and the myriad other medical stuff that happened behind closed doors in buildings like this.

Willow was sipping some dark beverage that could have been Cola or coffee, either way the caffeine-induced vibration was already showing up.

Oz was reading a back issue of _People _magazine, and continually scanning the room, if the last few days had taught him anything, it was how threatening the world could be. Angelus had been in Buffy's and Willow's bedrooms, and Oz still thought about how he could easily have mourned Willow instead of her fish, he didn't know why Angelus hadn't killed either one of them, whatever the reason, he was glad. Oz agreed with Ms. Calendar's buddy system. It made a certain kind of sense. He for one would follow it if he could.

For her part Jenny was sleeping, the stress of the day, and the energy spent doing the spell, had all but forced her eyes closed when she hit the uncomfortable chair. Her slight snoring punctuated the silence in the room.

Willow looked up from her drink to consider the teacher across from her, she remembered the power that Ms. Calendar showed when doing the spell, Willow wanted to learn more about this. And she even had a teacher for it. She bounced in her seat, turned to Oz, and whispered "Are you worried about the others?"

"Not sure if I should be, they have been gone awhile though, so that's freaksome." Oz stopped his reading and scanning.

Willow blinked, thinking about her own worry for her friends "I know, but now that Angel's back things should be better, I mean at least Buffy won't be so mopey anymore."

"It seems that way, I hope everything will be okay, I don't know about her though." Oz gestured to Ms. Calendar.

Willow sighed at that "You didn't see them as a couple, it was so cute, Giles would get all stutter-y around her, and then there was that demon possession, and we found out about who she really was, so they weren't around each other much. I wonder how he is doing?"

"I don't know about that either, that spell they were talking about, seems like Giles made a trade, she was dead and now she's alive, I hope I'm wrong about what's going to happen to him." Oz wrapped an arm around a suddenly pensive Willow, who kept looking at the doors where the doctor would come out to tell them about Giles.

At that point, the rest of the Scooby gang arrived in the waiting room. Their expressions ranging from shaken (Cordelia) to sour (Angel). They were talking about their discovery and later adventure.

Ms. Calendar jerked awake with a mumbled still sleepy "huh?"

Buffy filled her in "We got to my house, and my mom was gone, and Drusilla," Buffy spat the name with venom "got the drop on us and was using Xander as a human shield before we knew she was there."

Xander chimed with mock cheerfulness "Do I have a 'designated hostage' sign on my back, and what's with demon girls, Praying Mantis Lady, Mummy girl, and now this vamp chick twice, is it me?"

Willow countered with a smile "Nope, it's not you, it's the town. So, you're here and alive, who saved you?" Willow looked expectantly at Buffy, who shook her head in the negative.

"Not Buffy, or Angel, sorry Wil, but Cordy had a cross, after all the creepy messages, the vampire made some crack about 'Poor princess' after Cor shoved the cross at the back of her head." Xander was re-living the memory of being helpless and shuddered.

Jenny asked "Buffy, you said your mother was gone, is she still alive?"

"I'm sure of it. Within all the cryptic stuff, Drusilla said she knew about Giles, and that her and Spike wanted a truce, they wouldn't do anything as long as we stayed away, my mom is just insurance, They'll kill her if we try anything." Buffy recounted this with increasing distaste.

Jenny thought about what Buffy's mom must be going through, that is if Drusilla was telling the truth, though if she was really dead, there would be no way to keep Buffy from going after the two vampires. "How do you know?"

"We went to the factory, and they had my mom in a cage, and they had a bunch of vamps around, we couldn't get too close. Spike and his weird girlfriend were arguing about what to do with her. Spike kept saying they should keep her alive, because and I quote 'I don't want to deal with a pissed off Slayer now, she's trouble enough.' Not that I trust Spike as far as I can throw him, but he is in that wheelchair." Buffy kept her expression as she said this, she was thinking about how to get her mom out of this, it'd be nice to have Giles around now.

Jenny considered for a moment "I wouldn't trust them either, Rupert called some people earlier, and the other Slayer is coming here. When she gets here, maybe you can work out a way to rescue your mom."

"Thanks Ms. Calendar, why didn't he say he had asked Kendra to come here? Kind of an important piece of information, don't you think?" Buffy was relieved, with Kendra and Angel around, they could definitely come up with a plan, Buffy just hoped her mom was kept alive.

Jenny turned towards the doors where Giles was with an unreadable expression "He had to deal with a lot today and last night, It seemed like a small thing when he made the call, he thought the spell would kill him right away, so he's been coping with that, and didn't make that many plans. And he wrote notes to all of us, typical Rupert, I'll show them to you when we have the time."

"That's Giles alright." Buffy said sadly.

The door to the back of the hospital opened and a doctor emerged, with the name tag 'Dr. Gaines' adorning a short older man with grey hair and thick glasses.

Gaines addressed the group "Are all of you here for Rupert Giles?"

As one the group nodded and Gaines continued "Normally, I wouldn't tell anyone but family about his condition, but it seems none of his family is nearby and you were the one s who called for him, so I'll make an exception. Mr. Giles suffered a seizure and has now slipped into a coma. He is unresponsive to treatment, our tests have come back negative, we can't find anything obviously wrong, it's just that his brain and body are shutting down. If he continues to deteriorate, he'll be dead in a week."

There were gasps of shock from the group, all except for Angel and Jenny, the first knew pretty much what to expect while the second just said to the doctor. "Thank you for telling us, can we see him?"

The doctor smiled kindly "I am sorry, but visiting hours are over, I suggest you all go home, who should we call if anything changes?"

Jenny motioned for Buffy to come over and faced the doctor "You should call me first, if that doesn't work, call her, she's the closest thing to family he has around here. If neither one of us is home, call the high school, we'll both be there."

The doctor maintained his earlier smile "Thank you, don't give up hope, we might still find something."

Jenny knew better, but she didn't share with the doctor, he wouldn't believe her anyway, so she simply nodded and the doctor left.

Jenny turned to rest of the group "We should all go get some sleep, Angel, will you stay here for the night? I don't want to leave him alone. The rest of you, I want to meet in the library after school. And Angel, tomorrow night, I need to talk to you, will you come to the school?"

"Of course." How could Angel repay Giles for what he had risked, for Angel as well as for the woman making the request.

Angel sat back down while the rest got up to leave, they would need their sleep, Ms. Calendar was not going to let Giles just waste away, she hoped there was something she could find to bring Rupert back to her, while she knew there was one option that would certainly work, she didn't want to jump right to it until every other option was exhausted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion" Time frame "Killed by Death"

**Author's note: **As with all of my stories, suggestions about future plot developments are welcome and wanted. Reviews of any kind are neat as well.

**Thanks to my Beta: **xfirefly9x

Only Two

Chapter 5

Joyce Summers awoke feeling light-headed and nauseous. She thought at first she was suffering from a hangover.

Then the memories flooded back. Her day was normal. Until she returned home. Then there was her encounter with that strange boy, Angel. He had done something to her, the details were still fuzzy. He had attacked her. Before she blacked out he mentioned "your daughter isn't what she appears to be." That was important for some reason, though she couldn't reach the fateful conclusion. That was when she noticed her location.

She was lying on a bed, though it was more like a cot, and she wasn't covered with anything except her work clothes. She noticed a bandage on her neck. When she looked up, she saw bars high above her head. As she looked around, she noticed she was in a cage. Outside of the cage, there was a dilapidated old factory that had seen better days, it was sparsely decorated with a table and chairs, and it held a strange collection of dolls. There were a number of people outside of the cage. Two were near the cage, the rest were scattered throughout the room. The first person was standing in front of the cage; she was a pretty young woman with black hair. The second was a young man with curiously bleached blonde hair in a wheelchair. She sat up and swung her legs so she was facing the duo.

They were discussing her. The woman turned to face her and said cheerfully "Oh, look, mummy's up."

The blonde man turned also, and Joyce had to admit, he was handsome, except for the hair. He regarded her with a somber expression. "I suppose she is, Dru, we'll need to get some food for her, she'll be with us for a time."

Joyce thought this was an appropriate time to make herself known. "What's going on here? Why am I locked up?"

The woman, Dru apparently, walked closer to the cage. "Mummy shouldn't be so loud, she should be like a child, seen but not heard. You're like a little bird, caged so the cat won't get you, so yummy and so fun, right Spike?"

The young man, or Spike was it, moved closer to the cage. "You'll have to pardon Dru, she's wrapped up in her head sometimes. Why are you here? Well, do you remember what happened last night?"

Joyce tried to force the memories to come, but they seemed to go to that place where she kept things she would rather forget. She sat up "There was a weird boy, he came looking for my daughter. Then he-" and she couldn't quite say what happened next. It was similar to what happened last year, when she ended up in the hospital after falling on a barbecue fork, which didn't make any sense - she didn't even own one.

Spike snorted. Hearing his grand-sire referred to as a 'boy' was worth a good laugh later. "What was the boy's name?"

Joyce was wondering why he wanted to know. "He said his name was Angel, do you know him?" Also, she still hadn't gotten the 'why am I locked up?' answer. She stood up and moved closer to the bars of the cage.

Spike and Dru smiled in unison, eerily so, and she answered, again cryptically. "Daddy and Spike knew each other well, but I was their favorite, Daddy made me special."

Joyce had enough, she looked sharply at Dru and berated her. "Will you just shut up, all that you're saying is nonsense."

Dru bristled and almost snarled. Spike was not pleased by the rebuke or the tone. "You ought not talk to her like that, she's killed for much less. That's why you're locked up, so we don't do that."

Joyce took a step back "K-kill me? Why?"

Spike motioned for Dru to follow him as he moved closer "We need to make something clear first, did Angel look like this last night?" Spike morphed his face to that of a vampire, and Joyce's memories were triggered, and she felt the fear again.

She whimpered, "What are you, some kind of cult. With the masks and fake teeth and those weird yellow contacts."

Spike was about to yell at her, growl, and demonstrate his power to get her to see, but Dru interrupted. "Bad Mummy doesn't want to hear or see, we are the fear that comes with the dark, the monsters under the bed or in the closet, and if you let us in, you're powerless." and her eyes focused on Joyce and looked her up and down, "and I want to know how your life tastes, I can hear it coursing through you like a river, and I'm thirsty."

Spike regarded Drusilla for a moment. That was a very poetical description of their existence; maybe he could convince her to keep a journal, publish it someday. He turned to Joyce. "I never did get your name, sorry about that."

Joyce was still shaken by Dru's description, Joyce still wasn't sure what she meant. She gathered herself enough to answer. "It's Joyce."

Spike softened his demeanor but kept the vamp face. "Well, Joyce, what the lovely little brain-teaser here is trying to say is that we're vampires, the genuine article. Immortal, no sun, don't fancy crosses much, tend to avoid picket fences."

Joyce still refused to believe such an outlandish story. It couldn't be real. "That's ridiculous, it can't be—"

Drusilla was tired of this game, so she morphed her own face, jumped up to the top of the cage, jumped again so she was in the rafters of the ceiling, ran a little, and then dropped to land perfectly back in her original spot while turning face her back to normal. "Does mummy see now?"

Joyce gaped "Okay...vampires, now what does this have to do with me and my daughter?"

Spike lost some of the softness in his face. "Your daughter is the, I mean a Slayer." Spike corrected, he had met the other one. She was also a lot of trouble.

Joyce got that quizzical look again. "And what the hell does that mean?"

Spike smirked. "Actually it's short for vampire," Spike pointed at himself "Slayer." Dru mimed staking him in the heart. "They're supposed to kill us, and the last time I fought your daughter, she dropped half a building on me, thus the wheels. We've met before, I was about to kill her when you hit me with an axe."

Joyce thought back to that night. She vaguely remembered something of that sort. And then she thought of Buffy's odd behavior. Her expulsion from Hemery High School, her strange friends. Not the kind she used to have in Los Angeles, and then something Spike said struck her. "You're trying to kill my daughter, why?"

Spike wheeled up to the cage, so that the front of the chair clinked against the bars. "We're enemies, plain and simple. Also, I like a good fight, and Slayers provide some of the best brawls. I've already killed two others."

Joyce asked the next obvious question. "How many are there?" Joyce was thinking there were many people like this, it was obvious there were multiple vampires, it would make sense that there would be a number of 'Slayers.'

Spike thought for a moment "Well, for some reason, there's only ever been one, it's always a young girl, can't fathom why, but now there are two, and that is not a surprise that I liked."

Joyce was again puzzled. "If there's only ever one, and you've killed two, why is Buffy a Slayer?"

Spike laid it out for her neatly. "When one dies, the next one is called. The first one I killed was in China and the next was in New York."

Joyce was getting a headache, now to the important question, her first one actually. "Okay, now what about me? Are you going to use me as some kind of bait?"

Dru hopped up and down in an entirely girlish manner. Joyce found it creepy, and Dru's happy-sounding voice provided little comfort. "Oh, Spike, that's a good plan. Mummy would make a good sister for you. Little Slayer is going to come anyway. She'll bring daddy with her; he'll want to punish us. She's going to bring the one who is like her too. They'll break our bargain. We should set mummy free and make her like us."

Spike considered this, in all likelihood, Dru was right, that the troublesome Slayer would probably mount a rescue mission, but maybe the state of her Watcher, the stuffy brit, would keep her in check. "Not yet luv. If that happens, you can do what you want to her. How about the teacher that Angelus said he killed?"

Dru moved Spike away from the cage and told him what she saw. "She's alive, and won't let the Watcher go, but he drifts ever away from her. Locked away in his mind, he lives where she's not, and she wants him to come back. He can't take back what he's given, and the teacher will get desperate."

Spike looked up at her. He wondered what else she could see, and felt the tingle of healing in his legs.

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Jenny wasn't exactly sure why she was here. Giles couldn't speak, couldn't respond to her in any way. He was lying there, hooked up to all sorts of machinery; at this point it was the only thing keeping him alive. When Dr. Gaines had called her, she hoped it was with good news. He had dashed those hopes when he told her Giles' condition had worsened inexplicably, and instead of a week, Giles had mere days to live.

On getting the call, Jenny had dismissed her classes and left the school, citing a family emergency as an excuse for her departure. Principal Snyder couldn't keep her from leaving. Not that he wanted to try, her look and voice left no doubt she was going to leave; it was like she was daring him to try and stop her. She let Willow know where she was going, knowing the girl would pass the information along.

So here she was sitting in the hospital room of a comatose Giles. He looked peaceful, despite his condition. She had a flicker of doubt then. Maybe she should just let him go. She could keep and remember his love, and use it to guide her in her new mission, to serve in his stead, help Buffy and her friends fight the evil that seemed rampant in this town. Giles had even given her means to call on reinforcements if she wanted.

As it was only a flicker, the doubt died shortly after. She thought back to the look on his face when she had come back to life. She had seen the grief that had almost crushed him, and the relief that its reason was gone. And she thought about the note he wrote. She pulled it out and read through it yet again, it calmed her and gave her hope. If she couldn't find a way to bring him back, this was the part of himself he left for her.

This was all silly and maudlin. She had a plan, it was fairly extreme. He might hate her for it. But he deserved to know it, even if he couldn't hear her, she owed him that.

She scooted her chair closer to his bed and grabbed his free hand; the other was a connecting point for one of many I.V.s. She hoped he could at least feel her in some way.

She squeezed and stroked the hand, trying to will her warmth and life into him. She knew it was futile; her research had thus far been brief and had produced nothing on Rupert's condition. Though she did find something on the other problem she wanted to prevent.

"Rupert..." Now that she said his name she was unsure how to continue, she wasn't used to talking to people who couldn't talk back.

Then her determination reared its head again. 'Damn it, just do it, you need to say it. It's as much for you as it is for him', it told her, and then she took a deep, calming breath.

"Rupert, I'm here, I don't know if you can hear me. You were right about that spell - it's killing you."

She squeezed his hand harder, her anger at him coming out. "How could you save me, only to leave me to face everything alone. Well, news flash buddy, you're not going anywhere, I'm looking into reversing the spell, and if I can't then I'll force a certain vampire we both know to keep you here the only way he can. Then I'll modify Angel's curse to bring your soul back, I know you'll have issues with that, but-"

She stopped and brought his hand up, and kissed it lightly. "We always let things tear us apart, and so far, we don't do well when that happens, your puppy-dog eyes, me dying. Not this time. One way or another, you are not going anywhere." She felt her emotions well up within her. She'd already let out more out than she thought. Before she added tears to the kiss, she dropped his hand, shook her head, and left the room.

She would compose herself before she got back to the school; it wouldn't do to have the kids worried about her. Buffy, Willow, and their friends. She would need their help with research. They would need all of their focus for that, not guessing at why she'd been crying.

While Jenny had delivered her message and promise, Giles was locked in another side effect of the spell.

For Giles, the last couple of days had shown him the reason why Slayers and Watchers were supposed to be secret and alone. If he hadn't become attracted to Jenny, if they had not pursued a relationship, her death would be just another unfortunate victim in the long list of those that turned up periodically in Sunnydale.

It wouldn't hurt as much as it did. He wouldn't be haunted by her lifeless face during his fitful attempts at sleep. He wouldn't have to know the meaning behind the smirk Angelus sported when Giles had attacked him that night. To know, that no matter what he accomplished during the attack, the demon had already won. To add humiliation to grief and rage, Giles was unable to get vengeance for Jenny. He almost joined her in death. In truth, a part of him welcomed the possibility. It was Buffy that had brought him back; she showed that she still needed him.

This was shown in stark terms when Buffy had contracted a flu that landed even her in the hospital. That was where he currently was. He had just endured a rather awkward conversation with Buffy's mother. She had tried to comfort him. She'd heard about Jenny and that they had been close. Her efforts were halting and ineffective, as such attempts usually are; some things can't be soothed with a kind word. Giles was about to go see about Buffy when he felt something.

It was a warmth that wrapped around his hand, and there was incoherent whispering. It was a soft voice that rose and fell with emotion. He couldn't make out the words, but he could feel its urgency and will, its anger and determination, and a strange feeling of fear and elation that stirred within him. He didn't give this more thought. Buffy had talked of something that was attacking people in the hospital, that was apparently invisible to those like himself, but Buffy and others, children apparently, could see it and were scared.

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It was later that day. Willow was attempting to keep up the fiction that she and her friends were attending a regular high school, where grades and attendance actually mattered. She and Cordelia; whoever thought they would have the same idea on any subject? But such was the power of being comrades in arms on numerous occasions, even though they were bitter rivals, and Willow still resented that Cordelia was dating Xander. But this was muted by recent events and a new-found relationship with a certain werewolf.

Xander was too busy to note all of this. His current job involved sorting through books, and taking those he thought to contain magical materials to Ms. Calendar. She had taken up residence in Giles' office. Some titles were incomprehensible, being in various languages, demonic and otherwise. For those he turned to Oz, who was at a computer nearby. He was alternating between researching about Giles' problem, and using Ms. Calendar's translation program to read the titles Xander could not. Ms. Calendar had set up a computer in the fading Watcher's office, something Xander found unsettling.

He was also worried about Buffy. She had been agitated all day. She was action girl; she did not enjoy research. Even though the situation with Angel was much improved, he still couldn't be around during the day. Also, Buffy was worried about her mother. Xander wondered how Giles would react on seeing the damage some of his books had suffered on being used so roughly by Buffy. There was another reason Watchers researched; the Slayer could destroy their source materials.

Buffy demonstrated this when she suddenly slammed her current book shut. She stood up and walked quickly towards the office. Xander began the 'Uh oh' thinking process. She was about to have it out with Ms. Calendar.

Buffy practically stormed into the office. Her research had turned up almost nothing on Giles' problem and she let Ms. Calendar know as much. "What are we doing here? We should be thinking about how to get my mother back from the vamp circus in town."

And she basically mumbled, "And I am so grounded" when she noticed the book on the newly-computerized desk with the title **Behavior Modification: Theory and Practice**. Curiously, she moved around the desk to see what was on the computer screen. Ms. Calendar had yet to answer her question when Buffy saw a translated page with the heading **Magical Transference. **Buffy looked at the teacher's face. Jenny was still focused on the screen when she answered. "You're mom is either safe or dead. Either way, there are more important things we have to deal with right now."

Buffy was surprised. While she was aware of the situation with Giles, though not the most recent developments, she figured Ms. Calendar would understand. "I know about Giles, but what's with the Psych book?"

Jenny turned to face Buffy, who was trying to make sense of the magical stuff on the screen. "Rupert is worse off than we thought, but that isn't the only thing I have to worry about."

Buffy turned and softened at the mention of her Watcher. "What else? And I am not just going to sit around while my mother is a hostage."

Jenny regarded Buffy with annoyance. "I'm worried about Angelus, and if you want to so bad, go and try to rescue her, but keep in mind if you fail, you'll both be dead and the rest of us will be defenseless."

Buffy was shocked. "Angel, why would you be worried, you put his soul back, he's okay now. And what do you know about fighting, I've dealt with Spike and his freaky girlfriend before."

Jenny decided to field one problem at a time. The one with the most potential disaster first. "How do you feel about Angel?"

Buffy replied with a confidence that had only recently been regained. "I love him, more than I realized."

Jenny nodded, she had to hear it to be sure. "How did he lose his soul?

Buffy blushed, but forged ahead. "We had sex, and he had a moment of perfect happiness. But now that I know what could happen, we won't do it again, at least not until we can find some way around the curse."

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "Did you plan the first time?"

Buffy looked a little sheepish. "No, it just kinda happened, okay, near death experience, fighting for our lives, we got emotional."

Jenny put her hand on the psychology book. "Right, and I am trying to find a way to keep it from happening again. I'm not going to try and keep you apart, it wouldn't work anyway. Forgive me if don't trust you two. When it happened, Angel was supposed to be on a boat out of town. About the fighting, I know what it's like to know something wants to kill me, not just anybody, me."

Buffy got it. Along with the other stuff Ms. Calendar mentioned, that was her next question. "You're scared about a repeat of the night Angelus attacked you?"

Jenny scoffed. "Of course. Do you know what I went through?"

Buffy shook her head in the negative. "Not really."

Jenny sighed. "It started in my classroom. He popped out of nowhere, he kept laughing, like it was some kind of game." Jenny remembered running through the school, her heart pounding away in fear. "I ran, trying to get out. He had locked the doors before he came to get me."

She started shaking as she neared the end of her story, it was hard to relate how utterly terrified she was. "And when he caught me, you know what, he was smiling. He enjoyed my fear and the chase, like he was looking forward to it. And I can still feel his hands as they wrapped around my head. You've died before, so you know what happened next."

Buffy nodded and looked away. She vividly remembered her own death, the pain, the fear, the powerless feeling that she had. She jerked back up. "I'm sorry, I get it, okay. What about Giles, any progress there?"

Jenny indicated the computer screen. "I might have something here, but the spell's gotten worse; he's dying faster than before."

Buffy saw the look on the teacher's face as she said this. She thought she'd felt that before, and sported that look, when Angel had become Angelus. She reached out and placed a supporting hand on the older woman's arm. "I'm sorry about earlier. You're right, either way my mom is not our top problem. Besides, Kendra is going to be here later. It's probably best that I wait for her. Between the two of us, we should be able to take down Spike and his band of groupie rejects. I'll be outside. If you find anything about Angel or Giles, I'd like to know."

Jenny regarded Buffy as the Slayer got up and left. It was a new relationship they now had. Shared experiences, 'even if it was death' she thought, had brought them back to what they had before Angelus appeared, and Jenny had taken a leadership role that was entirely new territory for her.

As Buffy left the room, Xander slid into the room with an arm-full of books. He was waiting outside the door, and he had heard the entire conversation. "Everything alright, Ms. Calendar?" He thought for a moment he would have to try and stop Buffy from doing what she wanted. Try being the key word; he knew he couldn't actually do anything if she really wanted to do something.

Jenny's eyes flicked from the computer screen to Xander and back. "Not everything, but we're getting there." She smiled slightly. Things were slowly coming along. She even found something that might help her with Rupert.

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Buffy's hoped-for aid came later in the afternoon. The researcher Giles had requested and Kendra, the other Slayer, came in on the afternoon flight. The researcher had accompanied her after he had flown from England, in order to brief her on what little he knew. Her Watcher had told her what he knew, which again wasn't much, but he gave her one very important piece of information: he would no longer be her Watcher. Mr. Zabuto was to be assigned a potential Slayer.

Kendra was a tad worried. This researcher was younger than her Watcher, and noticeably more youthful than Mr. Giles. Though older than that interesting boy who had paid attention to her the last time she was in town. She couldn't quite recall his name. She'd become unusually uncomfortable around him. Her Watcher was much stricter than Mr. Giles. She wasn't allowed friends. It seems he had been vindicated, as it was these friendships that partially led to the current situation in Sunnydale.

The researcher also lacked field experience, though he could recite passages from the Slayer handbook from memory. She had read that more times than she could remember. But even she wouldn't memorize basic theory about vampires, their evolution and whatnot. The best way to hold various weapons when she was being attacked from above, sure, but not why cemeteries next to churches were less than ideal as a priority for patrol. That was not something she usually took the time to memorize.

Nothing much had changed since she was last here. Her companion hadn't been given much information, at least none that he shared with her. The last time she came, there were dire things happening, and she suspected that the same was true now.

So far the only thing that had changed was the welcome. Instead of Mr. Giles, they were greeted by a woman with short black hair. She regarded them with a guarded expression.

Jenny had seen Kendra when she was last in town. Her proximity to Giles had been upsetting; she didn't think it was jealousy, but it wasn't far from it. It was during that period when she distanced herself from Giles after the Eyghon incident; it was only later that she learned the girl was a second Slayer.

The researcher accompanying Kendra seemed like a younger Giles, glasses and all, and though he was wearing a suit, it was more casual than the ones Rupert usually wore.

Jenny waited for them, just outside the library. She decided to introduce herself to Kendra first and let the researcher wait for the moment. "Hey, Kendra, vampire Slayer, right? Mr. Giles told me about you."

"He did, oh, and who are you?" Kendra was a little surprised. Giles seemed to be very prolific with his sharing of what should be closely held secrets.

Jenny regarded the other Slayer for a moment before answering. Kendra was more imposing than Buffy. When Jenny had first heard about them, Kendra fit the profile more for a hunter of deadly creatures. "My name's Jenny. Glad you're here, Buffy's been waiting for you."

At this point the researcher cleared his throat. "Why would that be? Jenny was it? Mr. Travers mentioned someone named Calendar. Would you be her?"

Jenny shifted her attention. "Yeah, that's me. Jenny's fine though, and you would be?"

The man straightened up a bit. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, ma'am. Mr. Travers told me Mr. Giles included you in council business. What's going on here? Where is he, by the way?"

Jenny bristled at the tone and sought to squash any indignation this newcomer might have. "He's at the hospital right now, slowly dying, because of me. As for the rest, Buffy's mom is a prisoner of the local vampire big wig."

Wesley sought to dissect Jenny's statement. "Why is Mr. Giles dying because of you?"

Jenny deflated a little. Relating this story again got harder every time, especially since Rupert kept getting worse. "A vampire, Angel, or as you might know him, Angelus, killed me. He left my body for Giles to find." Wesley blanched at the name of the infamous vampire. This new piece of information was no surprise. What Jenny said next was shocking. "Rupert..." Jenny shifted from formal to affectionate, she couldn't help it, "used a spell to bring me back to life."

"Did he call it a transfer spell?" Wesley sharpened at this; it seemed awfully familiar.

Jenny saw the shift in focus and wondered at it. "Yes, he said he learned it at someplace called the Watcher's Academy. Why?"

Wesley got a wistful look. His time at the school was fondly remembered. "I know of the spell. Even though I was only a first year, Professor Allen encouraged students to sit in on his classes, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that, I had to, top marks as the goal and all that."

Jenny had no clue who this Allen person was, but here was something, now she had help with Rupert. "So you know, is there a way to reverse it?"

"Ordinarily, no, but usually the transfer from the spell is immediate. It would take a large amount of mystical energy to disrupt the spell. Is there something else around here that could cause that?" Wesley was curious, what else had Giles been up to?

Jenny jerked her hand up and pointed her thumb behind her. "Well there is an entrance to another dimension, a Hellmouth, in the center of the library, a little ways from where we're standing."

Wesley had ran the gamut from shocked, to afraid, to a trip down memory lane, now he was stupefied and he thought 'An actual Hellmouth, why in the blazes am I here? I haven't even started my field training qualifications yet. What were Travers and Giles thinking? Oh, this is bad, this is very very bad.'

He steadied himself and said to Jenny, "That would explain the abnormal behavior of the spell. I don't know of a way to reverse it, but there are some possibilities. To the next problem, Angelus, is he still around?"

Jenny cringed at the name. When she said it earlier, she was just trying to clarify who was around for newly arrived duo. The name served as a grim reminder of her recent, terrifying past. "See, there's a story there. In short, he had a soul, he was a good guy, even saved my life once. He lost the soul, went bad, I performed the curse to give him the soul back, and now he's good again."

Wesley processed the story. A vampire with a soul, there was a new one. Wait, curse. That meant this woman had some power, a quite impressive feat. "Are you a witch?"

"Naw, just a gypsy, undercover, though I do have some ability. Giles and I once bound a demon," Jenny said with some pride, and relief she didn't have to hide that anymore. Who would have thought that a demon in the internet would lead her to associate with someone who would gladly sell his life for hers, someone with whom she could share her weirdly exciting life.

Wesley was pleasantly surprised. That opened up more possibilities to restore Giles, but that could wait for the moment. He knew from his studies, prioritize, deal with threats first. The wounded could wait. Mr. Travers had briefed him before he left. He knew of Spike and Drusilla's presence in the town. He had thought Angelus was on that list, but he was thankfully wrong. "Do you know where the vampire's lair is located?"

"Buffy and Angel know where they are. What are you thinking?" Jenny wondered at the sudden shift. It seemed he had shoved Rupert to the background.

Wesley turned to Kendra. "If we consult with those two, we should be able to plan a rescue mission, and hopefully destroy the nest in the process." He turned to Jenny. "Is there anything you need to do? The sooner I can speak with the Slayer and Angel." Wesley felt weird saying the name like he was talking about an ally. Angelus was the kind of vampire that his parents had used in cautionary stories. What was really unsettling was that Wesley had found those stories were true, in every detail. "The sooner we can sort out how to implement a tactic I've wanted to try."

Kendra looked warily at Wesley. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about, but competence like beauty, could very well be skin deep.

Jenny responded. "There is one thing I have to discuss with Angel. There is a way he can lose his soul again; I'm going to try and prevent that."

"That's a capital idea. Be sure to tell me if you're successful. It would be quite the catastrophe if Angelus re-appeared." Wesley didn't know how the soul was lost in the first place; he could envision the worst scenario, that the vampire would change sides in the midst of a battle.

Jenny couldn't help but agree. She could vividly picture what Angelus would do, having already been his target. It would only be worse a second time. "Will do. Now come on, let's meet the rest of the group, then we can get to work."

Jenny turned and led Wesley and Kendra into the library where all of the Scoobies, students (Willow, Cordelia) and slackers (Oz) included, were waiting. Angel was still not there. She was equal parts relieved and nervous. She had someone to share the burden of leadership and trying to save Rupert, but she also had to have it out with Angel. She couldn't allow his soul to pull a vanishing act, and if she had to be clichéd and traditionalist about it, then she would, with some added magical punch.

Angel and Buffy might know the consequences, but they were still in love, and Jenny knew what that meant. She couldn't afford to leave her life in the hands of a young and headstrong Slayer, and a cursed vampire. Rupert had told her that Buffy was, as all Slayers were, supernaturally more mature than her age indicated, but she still wasn't willing risk it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up to season 2 "Passion" Time frame: "I Only Have Eyes for You"

**Author's note: **As with all of my stories, suggestions about future plot developments are welcome and wanted, Reviews of any kind are appreciated as well.

Only Two

**Chapter 6**

Jenny Calendar had done some reckless things during her life. Many of those things had happened in the library at Sunnydale High. Her classroom had also been the scene of some of her more embarrassing and foolish moments, telling Giles she loved him being among the top ones. Her current situation could be considered unwise.

She was staying late at the school. The last time she had done that, well, Angelus had made her night rather horrifying. If it weren't for Giles, that would have been her last night. Now, while Wesley, Kendra, and Buffy were setting up for an attack against Spike and Drusilla, Jenny had some unfinished business with Angel.

The others would need Angel to try and rescue Buffy's mother. If all went according to plan the biggest threat to the town would be gone. Whether that meant they would be dead or just driven away, it didn't matter. Drusilla had already brought one potential apocalypse to town with the Judge. There was no telling what she would do next with all of the possibilities the Hellmouth offered. As an added bonus, Buffy's mom would be free and safe.

Coming back to Jenny, she was waiting nervously for Angel to show up. With everything going on, it would do her a world of good to have some insurance against the return of Angelus. As focused as she was on thinking about everything, Angel startled her when he entered through back of the library, he walked up behind her, and sat down across from her _'Just like last time, damn'_

Angel heard the gasp and had seen that look far too many times. "Sorry, I'm too quiet sometimes, so what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to give you something, don't worry about the sneaking around, it's what you do, I should know." Jenny recovered from her surprise. It hadn't been that long ago since Angelus had scared her.

Angel well remembered the last time he had startled her. It wasn't a memory he was comfortable with, but it was there nonetheless. The darkness of her classroom, with only the light of her computer to see by, but for Anglus it was more than enough. "About that, I don't know what to say. It wasn't me."

"I know, just save any apologies. You know what happened, I'll just have to live with that." Jenny replied harshly, this situation was hard enough without rehashing what happened a couple of nights ago.

Angel was right there with her, it was a good thing that Giles was in a coma, Angel didn't think the Watcher could or should forgive him. "Thank you, what did you want to give me?"

"You're welcome, I never want to see Angelus again. I'll research the curse, see if there's some way I can change it so you don't lose your soul again. In the meantime, I have this." Jenny knew somewhat about why Angel was thanking her, she had restored his soul, allowing him back into the fight and letting him love and feel in ways Angelus or even Liam never could. What Jenny pushed across the table was a simple, silver ring, with nothing overtly distinguishing about it.

Angel didn't want that either, it was quite the experience. One moment, he was in the great afterglow of his coupling with Buffy, his last thoughts and actions being that he had to get away from her; he had actually felt his soul being ripped from his body, and the next moment he was in the middle of a street outside of Willow's house. Add in the new, terrible memories created by Angelus. The whole thing was something he didn't want to repeat. "Yeah, me neither, what's that?" Angel grabbed the ring and turned it over in his hand.

"Put it on your index finger and I'll tell you." Jenny had one last thing that she had to do to the ring, but it had to be on Angel's finger first.

Angel didn't want it to get in the way, so he put it on his left hand finger. He couldn't apologize to her, but he could make some amends by trusting her. Jenny whispered forcefully the final step in her plan "Semper idem" and Angel felt the ring heat up and tighten around his finger. It bit into his skin, causing him to wince in pain.

"Okay, now, what is this and what did you just do?" Angel was becoming slightly nervous, maybe Jenny had a little of her people's desire for vengeance in her.

Jenny smiled for the first time, and in relief. "That ring is my way of insuring that Angelus doesn't come back, as to the spell, now you can't take the ring off."

"What does the ring do?" Angel was intrigued. There wasn't much he could do about it now, so he let go of his worry.

Jenny had spent the last day working on this during those times when the library was empty of Scoobies and when she had free time during the day. Getting the ring ready had even given her some ideas on how to help Giles. "This ring will react to what you're doing. Especially if it's with another person. For example, if you and Buffy are making out somewhere, the ring will start burning you like a cross. Now here's where it gets a little dicey, if you go any further, I'm not sure exactly, but it could kill you."

"What do you mean it 'could' kill me?" Angel could see the reasoning behind the ring, but he still was shocked that she would go that far.

Jenny was a little ashamed here "Well, you see, I've never enchanted something like this before. I had some help online, but I still don't have much power. So, I don't know what will happen. If you and Buffy start to have sex, the ring might release enough power to destroy you, or it could just take your finger or hand off. It's not like I could test it."

"Oh" Angel didn't know quite what to say. But it made sense, Jenny was aware of his feelings for Buffy, and it wasn't likely that she could convince Buffy to wear something similar.

Jenny had come to that same conclusion, she wasn't naive enough to think that the Slayer and the vampire she loved would be kept apart by Jenny or anyone else telling them it wasn't safe, even knowledge of Angel's curse might not be enough.

Jenny had learned, love could cause people to do strange things. Giles had shown her that. "I know, but I had to make sure. I promise, once this whole thing with Rupert is dealt with; and if I can find away to alter your curse, I'll take the ring off." What she didn't say was that if the ring didn't kill him, it would at least hurt him visibly, giving everyone else some warning if Angelus did return; a one-handed vampire was also slightly less dangerous.

Angel stood up, it was going to be a long night and coming day "Thanks again, I better get going; they're probably waiting on me."

"Angel, be careful, I still might need you later." Jenny was covering all of her options when it came to Giles. If she couldn't find magic to save him, then Angel could turn him, and then Jenny could curse the new vampire with Giles' soul.

Angel wasn't about to let anything happen to himself, now that he'd been given what amounted to a third chance. He didn't respond, Jenny had her reassurance and he had taken a big step in reconciling with her. He was doing that for Buffy, Jenny wasn't her friend, but Giles was. And the Watcher obviously cared for Jenny, or else Angelus would have never done what he did. Angel left the library and ran full speed towards where he knew Buffy and the others were waiting.

Jenny sighed after Angel was gone, one problem solved, she hoped that she would be equally successful with Giles' problem.

* * *

><p>Angel found Wesley, Buffy, and Kendra in a building near the factory. Buffy and Angel had past experience with its location and layout. Angelus would have been furious to know he was helping with the planning to destroy what remained of his vampire family. Angel had access to all of Angelus' memories.<p>

Wesley was slightly out of his comfort zone. He was supposed to be here in an advisory role. Now he was thrust into the position of Watcher over two Slayers as well as an allied vampire. It was a situation that the Council, for all of its resources, had never encountered before. The books all said that in most circumstances, the Slayer should be at the front of any battle while her Watcher supported her. This support would consist of helping her when he could and staying out of her way when he couldn't. The Academy hadn't prepared Wesley for looking after with more than one person during battle.

Thankfully, Wesley's father had forced him to read countless books, most of which were mind-numbingly boring. The goal was for Wesley to become head of the Council eventually. Books on history, politics, and philosophy dominated Wesley's free time. This education served him well now.

He had finished telling Kendra and Buffy what their roles were in the coming fight. Kendra would go in first, hopefully drawing the majority of attention. Once Kendra was fully engaged, Buffy would attack from a different angle. Wesley turned to Angel and said "This is where you come in, you know Drusilla better than anyone here; she is your responsibility."

Angel nodded while Buffy interrupted "What about my mom?"

"Don't worry, that will be my job, while you three are fighting; theoretically there will be few of the remaining vampires paying attention to her." Wesley hoped he sounded confident, he would be hard pressed to face off against one vampire. More than that and he would be a dead man. Wesley was hoping to avoid combat. Just go in, get the cage open, and take Mrs. Summers out of the factory.

Buffy was doubtful of the plan and said so "That sounds nice and safe. Just one problem though, Its way too slow. We should all go in together, that way we can watch out for each other."

"I agree, like you said Wesley; I know Spike and Dru better than you do. You've got to go in fast, otherwise Buffy's mom is a goner." Angel had to agree.

Kendra chimed in at this point "Hold on, I think Wesley's right. There are more than four vampires in there. If we all go together, they'll swamp us."

"Thank you, that's exactly it. We're dealing with superior numbers here. We have to use surprise and initiative to gain an advantage." Wesley smiled at Kendra. He did see the merit in Buffy's suggestion, but he also knew his limitations. He would just end up getting killed if they made a direct attack.

The plan was perfect except for one small detail, Drusilla. With Giles out of commission, neither Angel or Jenny had told Wesley about Drusilla being able to see the future somewhat. With everything else going on, they just plain forgot about that crucial piece of information.

* * *

><p>Kendra's attack was textbook. Buffy had told her all about the factory. Buffy had been there often enough in the past few days to know all of its entrances. Kendra began her attack loudly, directly, and far away from the cage that held Mrs. Summers. After a minute or so, she was fighting more vampires than she could handle alone. That's when Buffy made herself known. The group fighting Kendra was blind-sided by the blonde Slayer.<p>

There were more minions, those who had held back from the initial attack. They saw an opportunity to make their own surprise attack on Buffy. Unfortunately for them, Angel chose this moment to hit this second group. This was the first mistake during the attack. Angel was supposed to keep an eye out for Drusilla. His concern for Buffy took first priority, leaving Drusilla to do whatever she desired. Kendra and Buffy had annihilated their opponents. The two Slayers joined with Angel as they all plunged into the second group. The battle was going well.

Wesley waited until the second effort began to make his way towards the cage. When he reached it, he found something terribly wrong. The cage door was unlocked and open already. He was about to enter the cage when a voice behind him chilled him to the bone.

"Ms. Edith knew this would happen, but my Spike wouldn't take the risk of killing or turning mummy." Wesley partially turned before being backhanded by Drusilla, which was more than enough to take him out of the fight.

Joyce had woken up when Kendra came into the factory, she had watched with fascination and awe at what the girl and then her daughter were able to do against monsters that shouldn't exist. She was hopeful and then alarmed when Angel appeared, she wanted to cry out, to warn Buffy that the weird boy/vampire who attacked her was here. She was surprised then when Angel began to fight with Buffy instead of against her.

Her alarm returned when Drusilla had rushed to the cage door and opened it. Joyce wanted to leave the cage but was stopped by all of the vampires still out there. Drusilla disappeared during Joyce's brief considering. Joyce felt hope return when a clean-cut young man had appeared far from the fighting and had moved towards the cage. He was nervous and he seemed to on alert for threats, which told Joyce that he wasn't a vampire. Then Drusilla had come back.

Drusilla looked down at Wesley's still alive but hurt and unconscious form "Tsk, Tsk, trying to sneak around to get to mummy, bad boy." She looked at Joyce with undisguised hunger "I wanted to see what mummy tastes like, be in me."

Joyce wanted to scream, to cry out, to do something. But she had looked into Drusilla's eyes and was unable to move a muscle, Drusilla rarely used this ability to feed, but this was an important meal, it wouldn't do to be interrupted. The vampire moved in, changed into her demon face, and sank her teeth into Joyce's neck.

Joyce was held in thrall until Drusilla bit down. By the time she was aware again, it was already too late. She lacked the strength to scream, she could only watch the battle outside of the cage. Her last sight was her daughter fighting and destroying monsters, matching them in speed and strength. Little details became apparent to Joyce, Buffy's face was grim but her eyes were fiery and more alive than Joyce had ever seen them. Her last thought was _'She was born for this, I just hope somebody will take care of her when she's doing everything else.' _

Drusilla felt the body she was feeding on slacken, its strength leaving it. The vampire held the woman up for a moment longer, savoring every last bit of her life. She only let go when the blood stopped flowing. Drusilla dropped the body and turned back to the battle.

It was a stalemate, the vampires still had the advantage of numbers. But they were up against three foes who had years of experience in killing their kind. Angel knew how much damage a vampire would take before it was vulnerable. Buffy made each one vulnerable by attacking whenever and however she could. Kendra was more direct, she alternated between attack and defense, she only fought long enough for a quick staking.

It was Kendra who saw Drusilla move away from the cage. The Slayer noticed the bodies the vampire left in her wake. One was still alive, the other wasn't. From what Wesley and Buffy had said before the fight, the body inside the cage could only be Buffy's mom. Kendra charged, she tried her best, but Drusilla was always on the lookout for the stake. However, Kendra forced her back. They moved in a slow, battling arc that found Drusilla with her back to the wall. With increasingly less room to maneuver, Kendra could see the end of the fight. She could take comfort in avenging Buffy's mother, the other Slayer would appreciate that. It wouldn't stop the grief at her loss, but it would help in the long run.

Spike had watched the battle up until now. He saw his minions get divided and mostly destroyed. He watched as Dru dealt with Wesley and had killed Joyce. The Slayer had broken their truce, all bets were off there. Then he became concerned when that other bothersome Slayer had attacked Dru. He wasn't worried, his lover could look after herself, even against a Slayer. However, he became concerned when she was cornered. Spike hadn't told Dru, or that ponce Angelus, but he had healed enough to be rid of the wheelchair. He stood up, kicked the chair away, and charged towards the Slayer who was about to kill Dru.

Kendra was very focused on her fight with Drusilla, the fact that the vampire was still alive was a testament to her power and skill. Kendra barely caught Spike's charge in her peripheral vision. He caught her in mid-turn. He didn't do anything fancy, it was a simple tackle that took them both to the ground. Kendra was knocked woozy from the move, not for long; but for Spike it was enough.

He thought to get that stake away from her, but he realized if he simply killed her, the stake wouldn't be a problem. Quick as he could, he grabbed her under the chin and put his other hand around the top of her head.

Kendra came around just long enough to see the vampire on top of her, she made to punch and roll to get him off of her. Before that could happen, she felt a sharp pain as the vampire twisted her head sideways and an everlasting darkness consumed her.

Buffy and Angel were still fighting, the number of minions were steadily decreasing. Spike and Drusilla entered the fight. Things were not looking good at all.

Where Wesley and the others didn't account for Drusilla, the visionary vampire neglected Buffy and her friends. She was unique among Slayers in having friends who would follow her into the fight. She didn't want them anywhere near this battle though. But they were stubborn.

Buffy knew that things had gone wrong. She noticed Kendra and Wesley were not fighting anymore, and Spike and his freaky girlfriend had joined with their remaining minions in pressing their attack. Angel was getting really worried, fighting Spike and Drusilla would be hard enough if they were alone; but the half dozen or so other vampires made this whole situation inevitably fatal.

Again though, Buffy's friends were sometimes quite literally her saving grace. They came through yet again. The first sign was a wall of the factory having a hole busted through it, courtesy of Oz's van. The remaining Scoobies exited the back with various weapons and, with the exception of Cordelia, moved to join Buffy and Angel in the battle. Willow, Oz, and Xander were all armed variously, according to taste and fighting preferences.

Cordelia wanted to stay near the van, so she had insisted on a crossbow. Most of the vampires in the factory, except Angel and including Spike and Drusilla, had bolts sticking out of various places by the time Cordelia ran out of ammunition. Sometimes her shots provided just the distraction needed for one of the other fighters to dust a vampire they were fighting. Willow and Oz both owed their lives to this help.

The battle ended when Spike grabbed Drusilla and retreated, the Slayer and Angel were bad enough, but now they had help; plus there was a hole in one wall of the factory. Spike reasoned that they had worn out their welcome. Plus, by killing the Slayer's mum; Spike was sure she would be relentlessly murderous. Even more so than she already felt, being the hunter and killer of his kind. Spike would apologize to Dru later, but for now they had to run and leave this town far behind.

When the dust cleared and Buffy had the chance to look around. She first saw Kendra's body. Next she saw Wesley getting to his feet by the cage. When she looked inside the cage, she ran towards it as fast as she could while screaming "Mom!" and sobbing once she skidded down next to her mother's body. The rest of the Scoobies held back as she hugged and rocked the body back and forth. Losing Kendra was bad enough, she was the one person who knew exactly what Buffy was going through. Her mother was a whole different story.

When she first came to Sunnydale, Buffy had just wanted a fresh start. She wanted a normal life. Her mom was a central part of that, now her largest bit of normality was gone.

* * *

><p>Jenny remained in the library, she had researched about Giles until sleep claimed her. Her efforts were rewarded, she had found something that might reverse Giles' spell while also keeping her alive. Ordinarily, the magic would be inadequate for this, but Jenny was all but certain that the Hellmouth would cause her healing spell to go all wacky. She had learned and seen enough to know that spells and other things were extra powerful due to all the mystical energy generated by the dimensional opening.<p>

When she awoke, it was already morning. She realized that she didn't know how last night had turned out. She didn't have long to wait. The reason she woke up was that Xander had seen her asleep and thought she was uncomfortable, besides she needed to hear the news from last night. Xander woke her up with a simple "Ms. Calendar?"

"Xan-Xander? What happened last night?" Jenny sleepily replied, she glanced at the book that she had used as a pillow, it held the key to reversing Giles' condition. She smiled slightly, he would find it funny that it was his books rather than her computer that led to his restoration.

Xander saw the smile and hated the fact he had some bad news to share. Unless something happened with Giles soon, Ms. Calendar wasn't going to have much to be happy about in the near future "Good news first, Spike is gone. We ruined his hideout and killed most of his vamp friends." Jenny yawned and nodded for him to continue. She knew there had to be some bad news, the only question was how bad? "Right, well, Kendra, the other Slayer. She's dead."

"That's horrible, how's Buffy taking it? She was really happy when Kendra arrived, I'm not sure, but I think she was someone who knew what being a Slayer meant, and Buffy could connect with her in ways that none of us could." Jenny was taking Kendra's death rather hard as well, it seemed easier to ask after Buffy, to mask her own shock. Kendra and Wesley had taken some of the burden off of her, now half of that support was gone.

Xander was dreading this next part "Uh, she hasn't really dealt with it yet, her mom was killed before we could get to her. So Buff's been kinda broken since."

"Oh my god, where is she now?" Jenny gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Losing one's mother had to rank right at the top for the death of family members. Jenny still remembered her uncle's disemboweled corpse when Angelus first appeared, that was shocking. She had heard stories from the elder woman about various losses suffered by her people in the same vein.

Xander didn't respond right away, he remembered Buffy sobbing over her mother, how when it had finally stopped, she was led away from the factory with a vacant expression, her world was shattered. She didn't speak for the rest of the night. "We took her over to Willow's, we didn't think it was a good idea that she should go back to her house, and there was no way in hell she was ever going to stay with me and my screwed up family."

"That's good, if Willow has a hard time, for whatever reason, Buffy can come and stay with me." Jenny was already thinking about how that would work. If everything worked out as she hoped, Giles would be awake later today. Either way, Buffy needed support, now more than ever. She always did, of course, being the Slayer and a teenage girl could wear anyone down.

Xander hadn't expected this, though he supposed Ms. Calender would make that kind of offer. But there were still the major problems that needed to be addressed. With really no Slayer around, the town was liable to descend into chaos. Also, there was Giles; whether he would survive or not. Xander voiced both of these concerns "That's great, in the meantime, we're down a Slayer with another who's a lump. And let's not forget, Giles has been out for awhile."

"I know, I've got a plan, if everything goes well, Rupert will be awake today. Then we can get Buffy back on her feet." Jenny was going for the best case scenario here. Also, she couldn't help but slip in Giles' first name when referring to him. She unconsciously added some affection to the name. She had taken to using that name when they were together. With the children she tried to refrain from letting her feelings show, they already knew, no good could come from her constantly reminding everyone about his condition and her role in putting him there. She wasn't very successful, nobody else used his first name; but she did it often, and she said it with a softness that seeped into her voice.

Xander smiled at the teacher, he had seen the same thing. Giles hated nicknames, and he expected Buffy and the rest to be respectful of his position, both as a librarian and a Watcher. Ms. Calender said either of his names with a certain inflection that showed just how she felt about him. Xander noticed this same thing when Buffy talked about Angel, or Willow about Oz. He was guilty of doing that when telling about his and Cordelia's relationship. "That's some good news, with all that's happened, we could really use a win."

"Yeah, by the way, you never mentioned what happened to Wesley? I'm curious, how did he do last night?" Jenny had noticed, Xander hadn't mentioned anyone except Buffy, Kendra, and Joyce. Jenny could safely guess that everyone else was alright. That they were alive at least. Jenny was curious because Wesley was the other half of her support.

Xander scowled at the mention of the name "Oh, him, he's at the hospital right now. Spike's girlfriend put him there, honestly I think he got Buffy's mom killed. He should've included us in the plan, it's a good thing Willow wanted us to follow Buffy, otherwise..." Xander trailed off, he remembered when they had crashed the party in the factory, Buffy and Angel had almost been overwhelmed. Also, Xander had helped to move the bodies of Joyce and Kendra. The former was bad, her skin was grey from all of the blood loss. However; it was Kendra that really stuck with him. Her lifeless form was a great contrast to when she was alive. He had seen her fight before, she was alive with energy, motion, and controlled ferocity. Xander knew why he was initially attracted to Buffy and then for a moment there, Kendra, it was that Slayers were beautiful. It didn't really matter what they looked like, when they were fighting, they were awesome.

"I see, well I have to get ready, I'll talk to whoever is around after class. See you later, okay?" Jenny wondered at Xander's hatred, when he loathed someone, he didn't hold back or try to conceal it. Aside from the casualties, Wesley must have done something more than Xander had mentioned. Aside from vampires, Xander needed a reason to hate. Jenny stood up and stretched, sleeping in a chair was not designed to promote comfort.

Xander mirrored Jenny and stood up. He promised promised to make sure Buffy and Willow had all of their homework. "Good luck with everything Ms. Calendar, just be careful, we've all seen magic go haywire." Xander knew that Jenny wouldn't need the details of that particular warning, they had been on opposite ends of that love spell that had sent half the town after him in an amorous craze.

"Thanks for the warning." Jenny was actually counting on the magic to perform beyond its expectations. If a love spell directed at one person could have such a wide effect, then she was hoping a spot healing spell would get enough of a boost to reverse what was happening to Giles.

* * *

><p>Since the night Jenny was killed, Giles had come to know what it meant to lose someone. It was somewhat like having a limb removed. At times he expected her to show up in the library or be in her classroom. Of course she was never there, and she would never be anywhere again. But Giles had experienced something strange at the hospital, it was similar to his expectation of Jenny being there; only this time he had felt warmth on his hand and had heard forceful and determined whispers. He couldn't make out their meaning, they were overly soft.<p>

At the time Giles had dismissed it as the aftermath of his conversation with Joyce about Jenny and then chalked it up to the Kindestod demon that Buffy had eventually destroyed. Either way it wasn't what he hoped, he was going to have get over it. In time Jenny would become just another in a long list of casualties in the fight against evil.

He had just had a moment of unbalancing discomfort. He thought his grief over Jenny was spent, that he was finally starting to heal; or at least have a scar over the gaping wound her absence had caused in him. That hadn't lasted very long. When he had walked into the computer lab, Willow had mentioned Jenny. The teacher had left excellent lesson plans. Giles couldn't help the distress that showed. Willow saw this, plain as day. She thought of something that might help.

Giles found himself out in the hallway. He marveled at the resilience he had just witnessed. Willow had taken Jenny's death hard. Buffy told him how she had broken down after his call. He was readily able to hear her voice when he told Willow what had happened. Her frantic denials and subsequent sobbing had mirrored Giles own reaction after his rage had subsided. He put the rose quartz necklace in his pocket for now. When the wound wasn't so raw anymore, he would consider wearing it; but not today.

When the possessions started, Giles was sure it had something to do with Jenny. The violence of each encounter had brought to mind the manner of her death. He even discounted Buffy's vision of a lover's quarrel between a student and a teacher. The historical aspect of the vision didn't sway Giles in the slightest. Jenny had to be a part of this. He had told Buffy, Willow, and Xander rather harshly that their theory was wrong.

He overheard them when they talked about his fixation. He had to admit Buffy was right, he did miss Jenny. But she was so far off the mark. Missing someone, that could happen when they went on a trip. For Giles, it was something entirely different. Jenny was taken from him, she was targeted and killed. It wasn't random, it was sadistic and cruel. Other than her feelings for him and the help she gave Buffy in the past, Giles didn't even know why she was killed.

When the mystical battle began in earnest, Giles was left on the sidelines. Buffy, Willow, and the rest had went ahead with Buffy's vision and the events that happened long ago at the Sadie Hawkins dance.

The spirits fought back. Giles became part of the fight. Finally he came across Willow. She was being sucked into a portal in the floor of the school. Doubtless one of the spirits wanted to kill her. Giles raced over and tried to pull her out. He was having some success when the rose quartz necklace that Willow had given him started to vibrate and warm up. It also enveloped him in light and sapped his strength. He was pulled down into the portal with Willow. He thought for sure he was going to die.

Giles had expected to be crushed instantly or sent to some horrible alternate dimension. He was surprised to find that he could feel that his body had settled on a bed. It was unfamiliar. He could smell antiseptic and a hint of something he never thought he would smell again. The last time he knew this particular scent was when he was standing in Jenny's classroom. That was the last time he had seen her alive. Perhaps he was indeed dead, if that were the case, this afterlife business was certainly making a good first impression.

He felt like he was wearing a loose gown. He also seemed to be covered with a light blanket. There was a heaviness on one of his hands. It was wrapped and he felt some devices attached to it. He tried to lift it and stopped when a pain shot through it. Okay, it was possible that there was something sticking into it. Maybe he wasn't in such a good place after all.

His mouth was dry. However, he was not thirsty. He tried licking his lips, they were parched. Just as he had finished, a soft hand lifted his head and a cup of water was put to his mouth. He opened up and drank. This place was really confusing. There were interesting smells and touches, as well there seemed to be an effort to make him comfortable. Of course the pain couldn't be discounted.

He finally decided to end all doubt and open his eyes, assuming he could do such a thing. He could feel the rest of his body, so he was fairly certain that he still possessed the ability to see. Though the vagaries of a hell dimension would suggest that he would be forever trapped in blindness and uncertainty. Tortured by both hope and pain, eventually dreading both.

But open them he did. What he saw confirmed his fears, he really was dead. He knew Jenny was dead, but here she was. She was looking down at him with tear-stained cheeks and watery eyes. He wanted to be sure this was real, whatever this happened to be, so he spoke with a raspy voice "Jenny?"

She nodded, smiled, leaned down, kissed him, and responded fondly "Rupert"

"Where are we, I was helping to drive some spirits from the school, Willow was being pulled into a portal, I tried to pull her out. But I was sucked in as well." Giles couldn't help the nagging suspicion that this was no alternate dimension, hellish or otherwise. He also noticed that Jenny was holding the same rose quartz crystal that Willow gave him not so long ago. It had a few drops of her blood on it.

Jenny was shocked, it seemed as if Rupert didn't remember what he had done for her, she answered worriedly "We're at the hospital. You collapsed at Willow's house after we did the spell to restore Angel's soul."

"What's going on here, the last time I saw you, you were dead. I stood over your grave. Nearly got myself killed attacking Angelus on the night he killed you." Giles was almost overwhelmed by the contrast and babbled in response. Jenny's lifeless face was nothing compared to her right now. Her eyes were so wide and fixed, now they were practically dancing with emotion. She was alive. That word held a much deeper meaning now.

Jenny was taken aback, he really didn't remember. Everything he had done. Bringing her back from the dead, showing through words and action the love he held for her. The spell he used had much more of an impact than she ever imagined. "Oh, Rupert, all of that, anything that happened after I died, it was just a horrible nightmare."

"You're really alive?" Giles was still grappling with this new information. The horror of the past few weeks was seemingly an intensely vivid dream. That thought brought a flood of other questions, the most important being _'When did I break with reality?'_

Jenny sniffled and said "Yes, you didn't attack Angelus the night I died, you used a spell that resurrected me. We were able to give Angel his soul later." She was trying to keep calm. Giles as she knew him was most likely gone.

"A resurrection spell? Did I happen to label it a transfer spell, and did I say I learned it at the Watchers' Academy?" After Jenny nodded he went on "Ah, how did it not kill me right off?" Giles was honestly curious, that spell was very hazardous.

Jenny tried to answer as best as she could, she still didn't know everything about the spell. She was still trying to deal with the side effects. "Well, from what I can tell, and from what Wesley said when I told him, it looks like the Hellmouth messed with the spell."

"Who's Wesley?" If he believed everything Jenny was saying, it sure looked like he'd been out of action for a bit.

This question brought Jenny out of her concern over Rupert, and it brought up something he had given her back at his apartment "He's the researcher the Council sent along with Kendra. Um, Rupert, if you'll excuse me, I need to call the kids, let them know you're awake."

"The last time I saw you, well, you were dead. The fact that you're here and alive, you don't have to ask for anything. Just let me tell you one thing before you go, I love you, Jenny." Giles remembered all of his regret that he was never able to tell her that, when he was standing at her graveside, that's what he told Buffy.

Jenny sobbed a little, she tried to imagine what he must have gone through in the nightmare "I'll be right back, okay?" Giles couldn't help but agree, he had some help when she kissed him again; this was no quick peck, It was filled with passion and relief at having him back.

* * *

><p>Jenny was out in the hallway. She was reviewing the status of the group. One Slayer was dead, while the other was emotionally shattered. One Watcher was injured severely, while the other had amnesia. For the rest, there was a werewolf that was uncontrollable when transformed, two regular humans, and a possible witch. In fact the only reliable member at the moment was Angel, and he was limited by his nature.<p>

These facts led her to make a call. Once the call was answered she said "Hello, my name is Jennifer Calender, Rupert Giles told me to call you in case something happened to him."

"I am Quentin Travers, Mr. Giles told me of your connection to him, did he also give you the trigger word?" The man on the other end of the line seemed to be very stressed, his voice was clipped and cold, he had no wish to waste time. Especially with this civilian woman who knew far too much for her own good.

Jenny wasn't put off by the insulting tone, she had a job to do and no pompous boss of Giles' was going to get in her way "Yes, Mr. Travers, Trafalgar."

"Right, Ms. Calendar was it, we'll be there in double-quick time." with that he hung up. He stood up from his desk and made his way to the nerve center of Council operations. Most heads turned in his direction as he entered.

"Everyone, we have a new mission. An active Hellmouth is now undefended, we will mobilize most of our resources to secure it, call in any potential Slayers and Watchers that we can. I want all the intelligence and information on this Sunnydale that we have, once we're ready, we will move on the town and surrounding areas and cleanse them of vampires and demons." Travers watched as his subordinates moved to get everything ready.

In a very short time, the full might of the Council would make itself felt on the Hellmouth. Jenny had no idea about the force she had just unleashed. For the average, unaware human in Sunnydale, the town would become much safer. For Buffy, Jenny and their friends and lovers, the Council would make their lives much more difficult.


End file.
